The Louisville Bats simply can’t score first. Saturday night was no different as, for the 26th time in 37 games, the Bats allowed the first run of the game and eventually fell to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 5-3 in ten innings.
In the tenth, Bats reliever Carlos Fisher (0-2) gave up a two-run double to Tuffy Gosewisch to give the Iron Pigs the 5-3 lead.
The Bats came back and took the lead Saturday night but gave the lead up in the seventh and went to extras.
After Michael Spidale roped a solo homer in the fourth, the Bats came right back to tie it when Bill Rhinehart scored on a wild pitch by Iron Pigs starter Dave Bush. The Bats then took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when Kristopher Negron singled home Felix Perez and Willie Harris, who got optioned to the club May 10, doubled home Negron.
The Iron Pigs came back to tie it on back-to-back solo home runs from Erik Kratz and Andres Blanco.
The Bats got a runner into scoring position in the ninth but couldn’t bring him around, sending the game to extras.
The Bats are now 1-4 in games that reach extra frames.
The Bats fell to 3-23 when their opponent scores first and 11-26 overall on the season. The last time the Bats scored first was May 3. They won that game 4-3 in ten innings over Durham.
The teams hook up for the third game of the four game series Sunday afternoon. The Bats will send Sean Gallagher (1-3, 6.88 ERA) to the mound against Austin Hyatt (2-2, 3.09 ERA). First pitch for the Mother’s Day game is set for 2:05.
