Bats drop series opener, 3-1

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA - The offense of the Louisville Bats (46-70) couldn't get going in game-one of their four-game series against the Gwinnett Braves (56-60) Thursday night, falling 3-1.
Gwinnett got on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a two-out RBI single from Andrew Albers, plating Emerson Landoni. It was the third straight single with two outs in the frame.
In the fourth inning, Chad Wallach ripped a two-out double and Tyler Goeddel followed with a walk. With two on and two out, Zach Vincej bounced out to third base, ending the Louisville threat.
Cody Reed (4-8, 3.46) was removed for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, ending his evening on the mound. Reed went six innings and allowed one run on six hits, walked four, and struck out five Braves batters.
With Gwinnett leading 1-0 in the seventh inning, the Braves created a little separation with two runs off Bats reliever Kyle McMyne. Back-to-back doubles from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Xavier Avery made it a 2-0 game. Later in the frame, Matt Tuiasosopo drove in Avery with a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead.
The Bats finally got to Braves starter Andrew Albers (12-3, 2.61) in the eighth inning. A one-out triple from Phil Ervin and a sacrifice fly from Sebastian Elizalde chopped the Bats deficit to 3-1. Ervin recorded a three-hit game.
Louisville had the first two batters reach in the ninth inning, but Evan Phillips kept the Bats off the board and secured his second save of the season.  
The Bats and Braves will continue their four-game set in Gwinnett tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. Louisville will send right-hander Jackson Stephens (7-7, 5.11 ERA) to the mound and Gwinnett will start RHP Aaron Blair (7-6, 4.65 ERA).