Since the All Star Break, the Louisville Bats have taken on a litany of new, young players. Wednesday night, though, it was veteran Corky Miller providing the heroics.
Miller went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, including hits that scored the go-ahead run and a big insurance run as the Bats downed the Columbus Clippers 4-2.
With the game tied 2-2, Miller ripped an RBI double to plate Felix Perez and push the Bats to a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Later on in the ninth, Miller cranked a solo home run to give a big insurance run to the Bats.
The double in the seventh was Miller’s 89th in a Louisville uniform, tying him for second on the franchise leaderboard with Danny Dorn. He is nine behind the all-time lead Kevin Barker. The homer in the ninth was Miller’s 45th in a Louisville uniform. Barker leads that category as well at 89.
Sean Gallagher (8-6) started and was fantastic for the Bats (37-62). He went seven innings, giving up just the two runs on four hits while walking four and striking out four. JJ Hoover pitched the final two innings to pick up his sixth save of the season. It was the tenth time this season he Bats have used just two pitchers in a game.
The Bats, for the second straight night, got on the board in the first inning. Denis Phipps started the game with a double and scored on a throwing error by Columbus starter Jeanmar Gomez (2-2). Mike Costanzo later singled in Didi Gregorius, who reached on Gomez’s throwing error, to give the Bats an early 2-0 advantage.
A solo homer from Cord Phelps in the third put the Clippers (49-49) on the board. They tied it in the the sixth on an RBI fielder’s choice from Vinny Rotino.
The teams wrap up their four game series Thursday afternoon at 12:05. The Bats have not announced a starter for the matinee but Columbus will send David Huff (4-4, 4.98 ERA) to the bump. The Bats will be looking to even the season series with the Clip-show.
