Bats lose to Indianapolis after seven-run ninth
The seven runs were the most scored against the Bats (16-34) in a single inning this season, as Indianapolis (28-21) won for the sixth time in seven games. Louisville has won back-to-back games just once this month.
The Bats entered the ninth with a 4-2 lead, but reliever Carlos Fisher issued a leadoff double to Jeff Clement, then a homer to Jordy Mercer, blowing his second save of the season.
Fisher was replaced by Travis Webb, who promptly loaded the bases without recording an out. Alex Presley grounded into a fielder's choice, but the Bats couldn't make a play at the plate, allowing Brian Friday to score and giving the Indians a 5-4 lead.
Josh Judy then came on to pitch for the Bats, and immediately surrendered a grand slam to Starling Marte wrapping up the scoring for the night.
Evan Meek picked up his second win of the season, giving up one unearned run off one hit with two walks and a strikeout in 1.2 innings.
Webb took his first loss of the season, giving up four runs on one hit, a pair of walks and a wild pitch without recording an out.
Neftali Soto led the Bats' offensive charge, going 2-for-3 with a home run and a pair of runs scored. Jeff Larish, Marte, Clement and Mercer all finished with two hits apiece for Indianapolis.
Both starting pitchers were impressive despite not factoring into the decision. Reineke allowed one run on five hits while striking out two and walking one in seven innings, his longest outing of the season. His opposition, Jeff Locke, gave up three runs on four hits while striking out a season-high 11 in 6.1 innings.
Soto got the Bats rolling in the fourth with a home run to right field to put Louisville up 1-0. The homer was Soto's sixth of the season.
Reineke ran into trouble in the seventh, but got out of the inning giving up just one run. The inning started with a walk to Larish, who then moved to third on a single by Clement. Brandon Boggs sent Larish home with a sac fly to center, tying the game at one apiece. Reineke gave up a double to Anderson Hernandez that brought Clement to third, but induced a groundout from Kris Watts to end the inning and the threat.
In the home half of the seventh, an umpiring mistake forced Dioner Navarro to settle for a double after what looked like a home run. Navarro's blast bounced off the terrace in left field and back in the field of play, but umpires ruled the ball live. Bats manager David Bell came out to argue the call, and the umpires met in the middle of the field to discuss the ruling, but the play was upheld and Navarro was forced to stay at second. Replays showed the ball landed over the fence before caroming back onto the field.
Navarro was able to cross anyway two batters later after a double by Cody Puckett, giving him his first RBI at the Triple-A level and the Bats a 2-1 lead. Soto moved to third on the play, then he and Puckett both scored on a fielding error by Hernandez that likely would have ended the inning and allowed Miguel Rojas to reach first, extending the Louisville lead to 4-1 after seven.
The Indians fired back in the eighth with a home run by Alex Presley, his second of the year, cutting the Bats' lead to 4-2 setting up the seven-run ninth.
The Bats will start a four-game series with the Syracuse Chiefs Monday at Louisville Slugger Field, continuing their 10-game homestand. Taking the mound for Louisville is Wirfin Obispo (0-0, 3.60) opposing Mitch Atkins (4-3, 3.07). First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.