An erratic outing by Homer Bailey and some timely Toledo hitting sunk the Louisville Bats on Sunday.
Bailey, down from the Cincinnati Reds on a rehab assignment following an elbow injury, struggled with his control at times while half of the Mud Hens’ eight hits went for extra bases in Toledo’s 6-3 triumph. The loss, the Bats’ third in their season-opening four-game series with the Mud Hens, was the only thing that could spoil a splendid afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field.
Toledo (3-1) broke a 3-all tie with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, then tallied two more runs in the ninth.
Bailey gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits while walking one and striking out three in 5 and 2/3 innings. He also had an error, a wild pitch and hit one batter.
“I was out there thinking too much I guess,” Bailey said afterward. “How does my elbow feel? How does this feel? Game speed. What are my pitches doing? Instead of just going out there and competing.
“When you’re out there thinking about executing pitches as a whole you’re going to make a few mistakes.”
Bailey was unscathed through the first three innings, giving up two singles and hitting a batter and held a 1-0 lead thanks to Josh Satin’s solo home run in the bottom of the second.
In the fourth, though, things got away from Bailey a little bit. He gave up a lead-off walk to Jason Krizan, then a double to Tyler Collins before Jefry Matre’s sacrifice fly scored Krizan and moved Collins to third. Moments later a wild pitch by Bailey allowed Collins to score.
Toledo extended its lead to 3-1 in the fifth when Daniel Fields led off with a double, then scored on Dixon Machado’s two-out single to center field.
The Bats, who debuted the new camouflage uniforms they'll wear at every Sunday home game this season, tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Steve Selsky led off with a single to left, then moved to third on Ivan De Jesus’ double. Tucker Barnhart’s sac fly scored Selsky and advanced De Jesus, who scored moments later on Irving Falu’s single to left field.
Toledo retook the lead, for good this time, in the top of the sixth. Collins led off with a double to right, then moved to third on Bailey’s errant pick-off attempt throw to second. He scored moments later on Matre’s sac fly.
The Mud Hens tacked on a pair of insurance runs - on Manny Pina’s two-RBI, bases-loaded single - in the last frame to account for the final margin.
De Jesus led Louisville at the plate, going 2-for-4. The 10-year journeyman, who’s had brief big-league stints with the Dodgers and Red Sox, was a bright spot for the Bats in their season-opening series. He went 5-for-9 (.556) with three doubles and three runs scored against Toledo.
The Bats will face Columbus for a quick two-game series beginning Monday evening at Slugger Field. Right-hander Jon Moscot is slated to start for Louisville. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Photo courtesy Louisville Bats Facebook Page
