Charlie Leesman was stellar Friday night for the Charlotte Knights as they handed the Louisville Bats a 2-0 loss, completing a sweep of the four-game series. The Knights won their seventh straight while the Bats lost for the seventh consecutive time.
Leesman (11-9) was on his game, tossing seven shutout innings giving up six hits while striking out four and walking none. Brian Omogrosso pitched the final two innings for the Knights to pick up his ninth save of the season.
For a while it seemed like the Bats’ bullpen was up to the task. Kanekoa Texeira made the start for the Bats after Todd Redmond was scratched; Redmond is scheduled to pitch the second game of the Cincinnati Reds’ double header with the Chicago Cubs Saturday. Texeira pitched five shutout innings giving up just one hit, walking one and striking out three.
The crucial run of the night came in the sixth. With one on and two outs, Bats reliever Will Ohman walked Dan Johnson to continue the inning. Carlos Fisher entered and gave up an RBI single to Jose Lopez, giving the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Fisher gave up an RBI single to Jordan Danks in the sixth that made it 2-0. Before Danks’ single, Bats pitching coach Ted Power was ejected from the game by home plate umpire Jon Byrne. It was the third member of the Bats Byrne had ejected in the series.
Danks’ single extended his on base streak to 27 games.
Louisville (48-80) , after winning the first game of the road trip in Gwinnett, lost the final seven games of the road trip. They are losers of nine of ten. They were shutout for the eighth time this season and were swept in a four game series for the first time this season.
The Bats return home to open a four game series with the Columbus Clippers Saturday night. Louisville welcomes Birdzerk back to Slugger Field for his only appearance of the 2012 season. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
