By Josh Cook
Another night, another comeback for the Louisville Bats.
The Bats followed up Thursday night's colossal comeback against Lehigh Valley with another one Friday night. Thursday they beat the Iron Pigs 8-7 after trailing 7-0. Friday they fell behind 3-0 before rallying for a 7-3 victory in front of 9,403 fans at Louisville Slugger Field.
But once again things didn't start off well for Louisville (46-48), which is now in third-place in the International League West.
Starter Ben Jukich didn't help himself in the first inning. He walked the second batter of the game, Ozzie Chavez, then wild-pitched him to second. Chavez scored on Domonic Brown's single to right field.
The Iron Pigs (37-56) added two more runs in the fourth when Paul Hoover's single - the last of three straight - scored John Mayberry. Brian Bocock followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
Lehigh Valley starter Drew Carpenter no-hit the Bats for the first three innings, but Gary Matthews Jr. broke that up when he led off the bottom of the fourth with his third home run with Louisville.
The Bats added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game. In the fifth Chris Dickerson, down from the Cincinnati Reds on his rehabilitation assignment, singled. He moved to second on Drew Sutton's single and took third on Wilkin Castillo's fly out. Dickerson scored on a wild pitch by Carpenter.
Then in the sixth Carpenter walked Matthews to start the inning. Matthews moved to third on Zack Cozart's single and scored when Yonder Alonso grounded into a double play.
The Bats broke open the game with a three-run seventh. Juan Francisco led off the inning with a solo home run to left field off new pitcher Oscar Villarreal. It was Francisco's 11th of the season, and his third in two days.
Dickerson, who is returning from surgery on his right hand and wrist and has been out since April 30 and on the Reds' 60-day disabled list, followed with a single. Villarreal (1-3) then walked Sutton before a throwing error by Lehigh Valley catcher Paul Hoover moved Dickerson to third and Sutton to second.
Dickerson scored on Castillo's ground out, while Sutton reached home on Michael Griffin's sacrifice fly.
The Bats added another run in the eighth thanks to Cozart, who led off the inning with a single off new pitcher Joe Savery. Cozart stole second, moved to third on Chris Valaika's sacrifice fly then scored on a Savery wild pitch.
Highly-touted pitching prospect Aroldis Chapman (6-6) picked up his first win since May by striking out four, and not allowing a hit, in 1 1/3 innings of relief. It was also the first victory out of the bullpen for Chapman, who fastball was clocked at 102 miles per hour.
Jukich yielded three earned runs on six hits while walking one and striking out four in five innings. Jared Burton followed with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three and giving up one hit. Chapman replaced him, then Carlos Fisher closed the game by striking out two in the ninth.
Dickerson and Cozart led Louisville's seven-hit attack with two apiece.
Also Friday the Bats activated right-handed pitcher Sam LeCure from the disabled list. LeCure posted a 1-4 record with a 4.86 earned run average in six starts with the Reds. However with the success of recent Louisville call-up Travis Wood in Cincinnati, LeCure returns to the River City.
The same two teams meet at 6:05 p.m. Saturday night. Louisville right-hander Chad Reineke (6-6, 3.04 earned run average) is slated to go against Iron Pigs righty Brandon Duckworth (3-3, 3.75). There will be $2 Anheuser-Busch Craft Beer from 5-6:30 p.m., along with live music Edgehill Ave., on the Overlook Deck. During the game there will also be a special appearance by the Red Panda acrobats.
Photo courtesy Louisville Bats
