For the first time this season, and the first time since July 18 of last year, the Louisville Bats are above .500.
The Bats improved to 24-23 in 2015 by trouncing Toledo 10-2 Wednesday night at Louisville Slugger Field. It was the 11th victory in 14 games for Louisville, which was 13-20 after a 5-4 loss at Charlotte on May 13. Since then, though, the Bats have been blistering.
Louisville kept its hot streak going - and closed out its 10-game homestand in style - on hump day thanks to an early offensive eruption and a solid spot start by Donovan Hand.
The Bats scored all their runs against the Mud Hens (19-27) in the first four innings. Meanwhile Hand held Toledo to four hits over six innings and a pair of relievers kept the Hens hitless in the final three frames.
Yorman Rodriguez jump-started Louisville’s offense with a two-RBI, two-out single in the bottom of the first that actually plated three runs thanks to a throwing error on Mud Hens right fielder Steven Moya.
The Bats added some moya in the second on Hernan Iribarren’s RBI-double and Ivan De Jesus Jr.’s RBI-single.
Louisville’s lead grew to 8-0 in the third thanks to Chris Dominguez’s three-run homer to center field.
The Bats tallied two more runs in the fourth on Chris Berset’s single.
De Jesus, Rodriguez and Jose Constanza led Louisville’s nine-hit attack with two each.
That was more than enough for Hand (1-2), who gave up two earned runs and walked none while striking out five to earn his first win in his 12th appearance of the season.
Ben Klimesh tossed two hitless innings, walking one, before Drew Hayes struck out two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth.
The Bats, who went 7-3 in their homestand, now have a well-deserved day off Thursday before hitting the road for a six-game road swing. Louisville will begin a three-game series at Pawtucket at 7:05 p.m. Friday night, when Bats right-hander Josh Smith (1-2, 4.64 earned run average) is scheduled to face Red Sox southpaw Eddie Rodriguez (4-3, 2.98).
Photo courtesy Louisville Bats Facebook Page
