The Louisville Bats bounced back from back-to-back one-run losses to Indianapolis with a 6-2 triumph over the Indians on Thursday.
Four Louisville pitchers combined to hold host Indy to four hits. The Bats’ bats broke out with 11 hits as they won for only the second time in their last nine games.
Louisville (8-13) tallied four runs in the second inning and single runs in the fifth and ninth frames to beat International League West-leading Indy (12-10) in the final contest of the split five-game series.
Hernan Iribarren and Steve Selsky led Louisville’s onslaught at the plate with three hits while Ryan LaMarre tallied two.
Selsky got the Bats’ offense going when he led off the second inning with a solo home run to left field. Louisville, which was coming off consecutive 2-1 setbacks to the Indians, never trailed after that.
Yorman Rodriguez followed with a triple off Indy starter Nick Kingham before Bryson Smith walked with one out. Jermaine Curtis then doubled home Rodriguez before starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera struck out. LaMarre followed with a single to score Smith. Curtis also came home on the play thanks to a throwing error by Indy third baseman Deibinson Romero.
Indy tallied two runs in the bottom of the third to cut Louisville’s lead in half, but that was as close as the Indians would get.
The Bats increased their advantage in the fifth, when Iribarren, Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Selsky started the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles. Iribarren later scored on Kyle Skipworth’s sacrifice fly.
Louisville added some insurance in the ninth when LaMarre doubled with two outs, then scored on Iribarren’s single to center.
Right-hander Drew Hayes picked up his first victory of the season, tossing three shutout innings after relieving Cabrera, who was assigned to the Bats on Thursday morning. Hayes, who was assigned to Louisville from Double-A Pensacola on Tuesday, gave up only one hit while walking one and striking out three. Sam LeCure tossed two hitless innings in the seventh and eighth before Nathan Adcock closed the door on the Indians in the ninth.
Friday, Louisville will begin a three-game series at IL North-leading Buffalo (14-7). Right-hander Matt Magill (0-1, 7.71 earned-run average) will face off against southpaw Andrew Albers (1-3, 3.09). First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m.
Photo courtesy Louisville Bats Facebook Page
