Herrera Fuels Louisville Offense in 4-2 Victory

LOUISVILLE, Ky.-The Louisville Bats (28-41) opened their seven-game homestand with a win over the Columbus Clippers (35-42), 4-2, Monday evening at Louisville Slugger Field.
In his third minor league rehab start, Cincinnati Reds' right-hander Homer Bailey allowed consecutive singles to lead off the contest before striking out the following two Clippers. Bailey recorded two more punch-outs in the second en route to a three-up, three-down inning.
Failing to move runners over, the Bats left five runners on the base paths in the first three innings, allowing Columbus to gain the advantage on the scoreboard early. In the top of the third, Bailey allowed his first run in three rehab outings with a two-out solo shot over the bleachers in right field. A triple to the next batter, followed by a base knock plated the second Clippers' run of the contest.
Louisville finally managed to cut down the deficit to one in the bottom of the fourth inning after back-to-back-to-back one-out singles. Zach Vincej got the offense going with a lined shot that dropped in front of the left fielder. Picking up his second hit, Beau Amaral hit one through the left side to move Vincej into scoring position. Dilson Herrera also found left field grass to plate the first Bats' run of the ballgame.
Herrera continued to fuel the offense in the fifth inning, come to the plate with the bases loaded. An error, Vincej single, and a fielder's choice set up the Herrera bases-clearing double to deep left field, giving Louisville a 4-2 advantage. It marked the seventh time this season that a Louisville batter recorded four RBIs and the first since Jesse Winker achieved the feat May 31 against Gwinnett.
Despite allowing two early runs to Columbus, Bailey exited the contest with two-outs in the sixth inning. After a single and two walks, the Clippers loaded the bases ending the rehab start after 91 pitches, seven hits, two walks, and two runs while the big leaguer struck out six.
Right-hander Domingo Tapia entered the game to record the final out of the sixth inning to get out of the bases-loaded jam. Tapia went on two retire the first four batters he faced before allowing the first three Clippers to reach base in the eighth inning.
With Columbus threatening, right-hander Jimmy Herget made his Triple-A debut after earning a promotion from Pensacola on Sunday. In his Bats debut, Herget struck out all three Columbus batters faced in the eighth to escape the bases loaded jam and maintain the 4-2 Louisville advantage.
Herget went three-up, three-down in the top of the ninth to secure the, 4-2, Louisville victory and record the six-out save in his first appearance in Louisville. Homer Bailey picked up the win with his five and two-thirds innings of work.
Game two of the three-game series and seven-game homestand is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon with first-pitch at 12:05 p.m. Lefty Cody Reed (2-4, 2.47 ERA) will take the mound for Louisville opposite left-hander Shawn Morimando (5-5, 3.97 ERA) who gets the start for Columbus.