By Josh Cook
Newcomer Luis Terrero's three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning propelled the Louisville Bats to their fourth straight win Monday night.
The blast helped Louisville rally for a 7-6 victory over the Buffalo Bisons at Louisville Slugger Field.
In just his seventh game with the Bats since being promoted from Carolina, Terrero's first home run continued Louisville's longest win streak of the season as it came out top dog on Dog Day at the Park.
After Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel threw out the first pitch the Bisons (17-14) bulled their way to an early lead with three runs in the first inning off Louisville starter Justin Lehr.
But the Bats (12-19) answered thanks in large part to Lehr, whose two-out, two-run double keyed a three-run second inning.
Buffalo bounced back with single runs in the third, fourth and seventh innings, while Louisville scored a lone run in the fifth, to lead 6-4 heading into the "Seventh Inning Stretch."
However in the bottom of the inning Bisons reliever Bobby Parnell (0-1) walked Chris Burke with one out, then gave up a single to Zack Cozart. That set the stage for Terrero, who was third in the International League in RBIs in 2008 with Norfolk but spent last year in the Mexican League, who hit Parnell's offering over the centerfield fence.
Ben Jukich (1-1) picked up the win with 1 2/3 innings of relief of Lehr, who gave up 12 hits and five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Enerio Del Rosario came on in the eighth for Louisville, then Jon Adkins pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the season.
Chris Valaika, who is hitting .417 in May, led the Bats' batters with two hits on a night when fans were invited to bring their dogs to Slugger Field.
But there was some bad news for the Bats as hot-hitting Juan Francisco, who was batting .531 in May, will likely be lost for a month after an appendectomy.
The second game of the four-game series between the two teams is at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night.
