ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Despite a season-best rally in the top of the fifth inning, the Louisville Bats were felled by a furious reply in the bottom half from the Rochester Red Wings, dropping a 13-6 result in their series opener Monday evening at Frontier Field. Following the loss in the
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Despite a season-best rally in the top of the fifth inning, the Louisville Bats were felled by a furious reply in the bottom half from the Rochester Red Wings, dropping a 13-6 result in their series opener Monday evening at Frontier Field. Following the loss in the first meeting of the season between the clubs, the Bats have now opened the second half of the season with a five-game losing streak.
Bats starter Keury Mella (1-1, 5.00) received the loss as he allowed seven hits and six runs (five earned) with three walks and two strikeouts over four innings. Red Wings reliever Gabriel Moya (1-0, 1.40) earned the victory in a 1.2 inning effort, allowing only two hits and striking out four. Rochester starter Zack Littell went 4.1 innings and gave up five hits and five runs with four walks and five strikeouts.
The Red Wings quickly jumped to the lead as third baseman Taylor Motter homered to left on Mella's second pitch of the night. After doubling to right, shortstop Nick Gordon came around to score on a RBI single from left fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. The Bats' offense finally started humming in the third as the bases were loaded with two outs, but a Brandon Dixon strikeout closed out the frame. In the bottom of the fourth, Rochester added two more runs, taking advantage of a Louisville throwing error.
Consecutive singles from second baseman Josh VanMeter and catcher Chadwick Tromp opened the marathon fifth inning for the Bats, followed by a walk to center fielder Mason Williams that again loaded the bases, his 10th consecutive game in which he reached base. Facing a 1-2 count, designated hitter Phillip Ervin fought back against Littell and earned a walk which brought home Tromp for Louisville's first run of the night. On the next pitch, Dixon cleared the bases with a double to deep center, chasing Littell and knotting the game at 4. Right fielder Gabriel Guerrero then scored Dixon from third with a RBI single off Moya, temporarily putting the Bats ahead. The four-run deficit marked the largest overcome by the Bats this season.
In the bottom of the fifth, Mella was removed after allowing back-to-back singles, yielding to reliever Brandon Finnegan. After walking his first batter, Finnegan gave up a grand slam to right field from designated hitter Andy Wilkins which put Rochester back in front. Later in the frame, a double from Motter scored right fielder Jon Kemmer, followed by an error and wild pitch from Finnegan that added another run and finished his outing. Right-hander Domingo Tapia entered the game and allowed two more runs, sealing an eight-run inning for the Red Wings. In total, the fifth inning clocked in at 59 minutes and featured 13 runs and 11 hits between the two sides.
The Red Wings would tack on one final run in the bottom of the sixth as catcher Jordan Pacheco scored from third on a wild pitch by Tapia. The Rochester bullpen held their own as well, surrendering only three hits in their final four innings. In the ninth, Ervin continued his terrific July with his fifth home run of the season, a fly ball over the left field fence.
The Bats and Red Wings will continue their three-game set Tuesday morning with a day game at Frontier Field. Louisville will send out right-hander Robert Stephenson (8-6, 3.35) to face Rochester left-hander Adalberto Mejía (5-2, 2.56) in an 11:05 a.m. start.
