By Josh Cook
Drew Sutton hit a three-run homer and Matt Maloney limited Lehigh Valley to only three hits as the Louisville Bats roasted the Iron Pigs 5-2 Friday night at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Penn.
The victory closed out an eight-game road trip by the Bats (18-24), who finished 5-3 in their week and a day away from Louisville Slugger Field.
Sutton's three-run home run in the top of the first off Lehigh Valley starter Brian Mazone (3-5) gave Louisville a quick 3-0 lead.
The Iron Pigs (16-25) answered, though, with two in the bottom of the inning off Maloney.
Then in the third Louisville added another run on back-to-back doubles by Yonder Alonso and Wladimir Balentien.
The Bats scored another run in the eighth when Balentien led off with a double, then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before a pitching change. Chris Valaika subsequently greeted Iron Pigs reliever Ehren Wasserman with a run-scoring single.
That was more than enough for Maloney (4-1), who allowed the aforementioned three hits and two earned runs over six innings. A trio of pitchers - Jon Adkins, Logan Ondrusek and Enerio Del Rosario - combined for three innings of hitless, scoreless relief. Del Rosario, who became the Bats' closer on the road trip, picked up his third save of the season.
Corky Miller led Louisville's 10-hit attack, going 3-for-4, while Balentien and Valaika each had two hits apiece.
The Bats begin an eight-game homestand at 6:05 p.m. Saturday evening against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Anheuser Busch Craft Beers are $2 from 5-6:30 p.m. and there will be live music from Johnny Berry and the Outliners. In addition, the Zooperstars will also appear at Slugger Field.
