Brett Tomko is pitching some really good baseball this season. A look at his earned run average of 3.55 is all you need to know. Tomko threw another quality start Friday night against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs but lost his fourth decision. Tomko went 6.1 innings giving up just three runs on seven hits.
Tomko’s effort was once again spoiled by the Louisville Bats’ lack of offense as they fell 4-1. Tomko is now 0-4 on the season and the Bats are 11-25.
Once again, for the 25th time in 36 games, the Bats were behind initially and couldn’t climb out of the hole. Lehigh Valley’s Kevin Frandsen belted a two-run double in the third to put his team up 2-0. This came after the Bats’ Bill Rhinehart grounded into a double play with runners at first and second to end the second inning.
Lehigh Valley added to their lead in the seventh, on Rich Thompson’s RBI triple, and the eighth, on a solo home run from Derrick Mitchell to make it 4-0. Kristopher Negron netted the Bats’ only run of the night with a solo home run in the eighth.
The Bats are now 3-22 when their opponent scores first. They are 14 games under the .500 mark for the first time since June 1999. They finished that season 63-81.
The Pigs and Bats hook up for game two of the four game series Saturday. The Bats will send Jeff Francis (2-4, 4.15 ERA) to the mound against Dave Bush (2-3, 3.69 ERA). First pitch is set for 6:05.
Photo Credit: Max Sharp
