Bats win in extras, 5-4

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Louisville Bats (4-6) avoided the sweep against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (5-4) on Sunday afternoon, winning 5-4 at Coca-Cola Park. It was the Bats' first extra innings game this season under the new rules.

Louisville scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning on a Steve Selsky RBI single that scored Nick Senzel, who occupied second base to start the inning under the new Minor League Baseball rules in place for the 2018 season. Pinch-hitter D.J. Peterson provided a key insurance run, doubling in Selsky to make it a 5-3 game and ultimately give the Bats their first road win of the season.
The Bats scored first in the game when Selsky was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, the fourth game in a row that Louisville scored first.
Bats starting pitcher, left-hander Justin Nicolino (1-0, 1.64) got the no-decision, pitching 6.0 innings and giving up one earned run on six hits, walking one and striking out four.
Right-hander Zack Weiss recorded Louisville's first save of the season, pitching the bottom of the 10th against the IronPigs. Weiss was technically charged with an unearned run, allowing the Lehigh Valley baserunner who started on second base to begin the inning to score, making Peterson's RBI double for Louisville even more significant.
Reds outfielder Scott Schebler went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in his first game on Major League rehab assignment before leaving the game for pinch-hitter Sebastian Elizalde.
The Bats climb back to two games below .500 on the young season, and head to Buffalo to face the Bisons for the next three games before returning home to Louisville Slugger Field on Friday, April 20. The Bats will start right-hander Robert Stephenson (1-1, 3.65) in game one of the series set for Monday. Buffalo is expected to counter with right-hander Deck McGuire (1-0, 10.80) with first pitch set for 6:00 p.m.