The Louisville Bats continued to be frustrated at the plate Monday night as they fell to the Norfolk Tides 4-2. The Bats have now lost four straight and are 10-22 on the season.
For the third straight game, the Bats allowed runs in the early innings. Monday it was as three run third from the Tides. Back to back bases loaded singles from Matt Antonelli and Jamie Hoffman made it 2-0. Two batters later, Bats starter Jeff Francis walked Chris Robinson for the third run of the inning.
Francis (2-4) went seven innings for the Bats allowing four runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out nine.
Norfolk added their fourth run in the fourth inning when Jai Miller belted his fourth homer run of the season.
The Bats got on the board in the sixth when Denis Phipps played longball with a two-run homer. It was Phipps’ fourth homer of the year.
Scott Carroll and Travis Webb of the Bats combined to go the final two innings of the game without giving up a run.
The Bats have now lost eight of their last ten contests and haven’t scored more than two runs since a 4-3 extra inning win over Durham on May 3. In their current four game skid, Bats opponents have scored first in every game. The Bats are now 2-19 when their opponent scores dents the scoreboard first.
Louisville is twelve games under the .500 mark for the first time since the 2005 season when they finished the season 66-78.
The two teams hook up again Tuesday night for game two of the four game set. The Bats are scheduled to send Sean Gallagher (1-2, 6.52 ERA) against Joel Pienero (0-0, 1.50 ERA) of the Tides. The Bats are looking to even the season series with Norfolk at three games apiece.
Photo Credit: Max Sharp
