Hessman's two homers lift Bats
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.-In the last road game for the Bats this season, Saturday's 6:05 p.m. start time was delayed an hour and 53 minutes due to inclement weather. Pair that with a 1:49 second rain delay in the fifth inning, and you get the second longest rain delay in franchise history at three hours and 42 minutes. The game stoppage didn't phase Mike Hessman, who powered the Bats' offense with two homeruns and five RBI.
On the mound for the Bats was Kanekoa Texeira (0-0, 2.86 ERA), who was opposed by Indianapolis' Doug Mathis. Texeira made his second start of the season, while making his third appearance against the Indians. In his previous two appearances against Indianapolis, Texeira allowed one run in his 1.2 innings of work.
Louisville jumped on the board in the top of the first, thanks to some help from the Indians. A pitch on the second offering from Mathis hit Ryan LaMarre, and Emmanuel Burris singled to move LaMarre into scoring position. Neftali Soto followed to ground into a fielder's choice, but reached base safely on the wild throw by Ivan de Jesus, which scored LaMarre.
The Indians answered in the home half of the first, scoring two runs to take the lead. Robert Andino doubled with one out to begin the threat. Matt Hague grounded to third, but Soto's throw to first sailed high, scoring Andino. Jerry Sands later doubled to right, scoring Hague to give the Indians a 2-1 lead.
Denis Phipps led off the second inning with a solo homerun to deep left field. The homer was Phipps' eighth of the season.
Phipps would play a big role in the home half of the second to keep the score tied at two. Lucas May and Mathis each singled in the inning, giving the Indians runners on the corners with one out. Chase d'Arnaud flew out to Phipps in right, who proceeded to throw out May at home on an attempted tag up, converting the double play to end the inning.
Burriss and Soto hit back-to-back one-out singles to begin Louisville's rally in the third. Mike Hessman followed with a towering three-run homerun to left field, his 24th of the season. Hessman's blast, which completely left the stadium, increased his RBI count to 54 this season.
Following the stoppage of play in the fifth, Daniel Corcino relieved Texeira to begin the inning. Texeira final line was 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, BB, and 4 K's.
The Bats tacked an insurance run on in the seventh inning. LaMarre led off the inning, his first hit in a Louisville jersey. LaMarre went on to steal second, also a first, before advancing to third on a fly out. Josh Fellhauer singled to score LaMarre, giving the Bats a 6-2 lead. Fellhauer went 2-for-5, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
Indianapolis threatened in the seventh inning, scoring two runs to cut the lead in half. Chase d'Arnaud led off with a double. After Corcino plunked Matt Hague, the Bats turned to Nick Christiani. Christiani walked Jared Goedert to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate. Jerry Sands then singled to score two runs, which brought the go-ahead run into the batters box. Christiani was able to induce a ground out and fly out to limit the damage.
Louisville got insurance runs in the top of the ninth, thanks to Hessman's second homerun of the night. Burriss singled in the inning, his fourth hit of the night, to finish 4-for-5 with a RBI. With two outs, Hessman belted his 25th homerun this season to leftfield once again. The two homeruns on Saturday marked Hessman's fourth multi-homer game this season.
Jose Diaz threw a scoreless ninth to get the Bats the victory, closing out a six hour and 43 minute marathon. Louisville (67-75) closes out their road schedule with a record of 36-36. Indianapolis fell to 80-62 with the loss.
The Bats return home tomorrow for their final two games of the season. Louisville's Pedro Villarreal (3-9, 4.69) squares off with the Indians' Jameson Taillon (1-2, 3.77), with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.