Just when it looked like the Louisville Bats were dead in the water and about to fall to their sixth straight loss, Daryl Jones intervened in the biggest of ways. With runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the ninth with his team trailing 2-0, Jones was called on by skipper David Bell to pinch hit.
“I wasn’t thinking about hitting a home run,” Jones said. “I just wanted to put the ball in play and give our team a chance.”
Jones might not have been thinking about hitting a home run, but that’s exactly what he did. On the first pitch from Tim Wood, Jones sent a towering shot to right center field that landed on the Overlook Deck sending the Bats to a 3-2 win over the Indianapolis Indians before a crowd of 6,336.
“Pinch hitting is difficult enough,” Bell said. “I’m really thrilled for him.”
The Bats’ offense was ice cold all afternoon, getting just four hits through eight innings before the rally. Denis Phipps led off the ninth with a base hit to left and advanced to third on Neftali Soto’s base hit. Paul Janish then struck out swinging for the second out of the inning setting the stage for Jones’ heroics.
Louisville’s pitching was good all-around Sunday, giving up just two runs on three hits.
Bats starter Sean Gallagher went 5.1 innings giving up the two runs and three hits, walking three and striking out four. It was Gallagher’s best start of the season and the first time he’s made it through the fifth inning this year.
“(Gallagher’s start) is the key to winning that game,” Bell said. “He allowed the two runs and kept it right there.”
Gallagher was given his opportunity to make it through the sixth but couldn’t pull it off. With one out in the sixth, he hit Jordy Mercer with a pitch ending his afternoon.
“(Gallagher) very well could’ve finished the inning,” Bell said. “But we had Scott Carroll ready.”
“We needed to keep (the score) right there and Scott’s been throwing great. (Removing Gallagher) was more a combination of pitch count and wanting to end on a positive.”
The Bats bullpen picked up right where Gallagher left off. Carroll finished the sixth on just six pitches and followed that with a scoreless seventh inning. JJ Hoover threw a scoreless eighth and was relieved with two outs in the ninth by Josh Judy. Judy got Jeff Clement to fly out to end the Indians’ ninth and keep the score at 2-0, giving the offense a chance.
“For the most part (the bullpen) has done it all year,” Bell said. “Sean does a great job with the start and the relievers come in and hold them right there.”
For the sixth straight game, Louisville’s opponent struck first. With two outs in the second inning, Indians outfielder Brandon Boggs drew a four pitch walk from Gallagher. Jose Morales followed that up with an RBI triple to left field to put the Indians on the board.
The Indians extended their lead in the third when Starling Marte lead off the inning with a triple and scored when Anderson Hernandez reached on a fielding error by Neftali Soto.
The win ended a five game losing streak for the Bats, who improved their record to 6-11 on the year. It was Louisville’s first walk-off win and their first win when trailing after seven innings. Bell is hoping this game will jump start his club.
“Sometimes momentum can get going from just one game,” Bell said. “This could be a game like that."
The Bats and Indians will play game three of their five game split-series tomorrow at 6:35. Chad Reineke (0-0, 6.32 ERA) takes the mound Louisville. He will be opposed by Justin Wilson (1-2, 3.57 ERA). It is the final game of the Bats’ 11-game homestand.
