By Josh Cook
A four-run eighth inning fueled a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre comeback and gave the Yankees a 6-3 win over the Louisville Bats on Monday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field.
On Education Day, which drew 13,060 fans, the Yankees gave Logan Ondrusek an eighth-inning beating that a school bully would be proud of as the Bats lost for just the second time in their last eight games.
Louisville (20-25), though, took an early lead.
The Bats scored once in the first inning. Chris Burke led off with a single, stole second (his 10th steal of the season, then moved to third on Zack Cozart's single to center field.
Then with one out, and Drew Sutton batting, Cozart stole second (his team-best 13th of the season) and Burke scored on an errant throw by catcher Jesus Montero.
The Yankees answered with two runs in the second off Louisville starter Ben Jukich.
But the Bats responded with a single run in the fifth. Burke led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on Yonder Alonso's ground out, then scored on Sutton's single.
Louisville took a 3-2 lead in the sixth when Michael Griffin doubled with one out, took third on Wilkin Castillo's single, then scored on Todd Frazier's single.
Jukich pitched the first four innings for the Bats, giving up five hits and two earned runs while striking out three, before Federico Baez came in for three innings.
Ondrusek (0-1) came on in the eighth and promptly gave up a double, two singles and a walk as Scranton tied the game. The Yankees (27-17) took the lead on Rene Rivera's ground out, then increased their lead on Curtis Granderson's two-run, two-out double.
Mark Melancon (5-1) picked up the win with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief of starter Romulo Sanchez. Jonathan Albaladejo earned his 14th save of the season with a hitless ninth.
Griffin led Louisville's 12-hit attack, going 3-for-4. Sutton, Chris Valaika and Frazier added two hits apiece.
The two teams conclude their four-game series at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night at Slugger Field.
In other Bats news:
- Louisville pitcher Sam LeCure has been named the IL Pitcher of the Week. The right-hander went 2-0 last week with a 0.00 earned-run average as he gave only nine hits and struck out 13 in 16 innings of action. Included in that was his near no-hitter Saturday against Scranton, which was the franchise's first one-hit shutout since Lee Tunnell no-hit Maine on June 21, 1988.
- Enerio Del Rosario earned his first big-league promotion Monday when he was called up by the parent Cincinnati Reds. That came after Cincy starter Homer Bailey was placed on the 15-day disabled list. The right-handed reliever became the Bats' closer on their recent road trip. Del Rosario leads all Louisville pitchers with 20 appearance this season. He is 1-1 with a 1.46 earned-run average and three saves. He has allowed 20 hits and only four earned runs, while striking out 17, in 24 and 2/3 innings thus far this season.
- Meanwhile Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said that Bats pitcher Aroldis Chapman will throw on the side Tuesday and could start as early as Thursday for Louisville.
