The Louisville Bats kept Pawtucket from perfection Friday night.
However, they couldn’t keep the Red Sox from a 1-0 win.
A trio of Pawtucket pitchers combined to toss a one-hitter to drop the Bats (24-24) back to .500 for the season in the first game of their six-game road trip. Eugenio Suarez’s one-out single in the eighth inning was Louisville’s lone hit and he was also the team’s only baserunner.
Rex Sox left-hander Brian Johnson (6-3) threw six perfect innings, striking out nine Bats, to pick up the victory. He gave way to Miguel Celestino, who exited after giving up Suarez’s single. Heath Hembree closed out Louisville, retiring its final five hitters in a row.
Josh Smith (1-2) absorbed the loss despite allowing only one run (in the second inning) on six hits while walking two and striking out four. Sam LeCure pitched the eighth inning for the Bats.
The two teams continue their three-game series at 6:05 p.m. Saturday evening. Louisville left-hander David Holmberg (3-3, 5.13 earned run average) is scheduled to face fellow southpaw Henry Owens (2-3, 2.98). The Bats will try to win the season series after taking three of four from Pawtucket (25-24) last week at Louisville Slugger Field.
Photo courtesy Louisville Bats Facebook Page
