LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In an offensive showcase, Mason Williams' squeeze play in the bottom of the tenth gave the Louisville Bats (27-43) a wild 13-12 win over the Norfolk Tides (37-34) Saturday evening at Louisville Slugger Field. On the night, the Bats posted a season-high in runs, with Williams and
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In an offensive showcase, Mason Williams' squeeze play in the bottom of the tenth gave the Louisville Bats (27-43) a wild 13-12 win over the Norfolk Tides (37-34) Saturday evening at Louisville Slugger Field. On the night, the Bats posted a season-high in runs, with Williams and right fielder Gabriel Guerrero turning in highlight-worthy performances.
Bats reliever Tanner Rainey (2-1) earned the victory, while the loss was tied to Norfolk's D.J. Snelten (0-1). In his second rehab start with Louisville, right-hander Homer Bailey went six innings, giving up seven runs on ten hits with two strikeouts and a walk. For Norfolk, starter Tim Melville allowed nine hits and eight earned runs over four innings of work.
The Bats' offense was humming out of the gate, starting with a double to right by Williams, who eventually came home on a sac fly. First baseman Steve Selsky bolstered the lead to 3-0 two batters later with his team-leading eighth home run of the season, a two-run fly ball that carried over the right field fence.
In the top of the second, Norfolk overcame a two-out hole to wrestle the lead away, capitalizing on a hit batsman with a RBI single to center from second baseman Rubén Tejada. In the next at-bat, left fielder Jaycob Brugman smacked a three-run homer to right that gave the Tides a 4-3 advantage.
Despite the setback, the Bats responded with a four-spot of their own in the bottom frame, starting with left fielder Josh VanMeter's RBI triple to center that scored catcher Joe Hudson from first. Subsequent RBI hits from shortstop Blake Trahan and second baseman Dilson Herrera restored the Louisville lead, followed by a RBI ground out from Guerrero. Following a quiet third inning, the Bats added two more runs in the fourth as they took advantage of a throwing error on a double steal, allowing Trahan and Williams to come home.
In the top of the sixth, the Tides once again challenged Bailey, using back-to-back doubles to bring home first baseman Garabez Rosa and catcher Chance Sisco. After allowing another run on a fielder choice, Bailey evaded further trouble as he induced a fly out to right. Just as before, Louisville responded in the bottom half, loading the bases with three straight singles. Guerrero capitalized by clearing the bags with a rocket double to deep right, giving him a Bats season-best five RBI on the night, despite only registering one hit. Williams, one of the three Bats who scored on the play, tallied a season-best four runs in the game, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and a double.
Continuing the theme of the contest, Norfolk answered with another rally, overpowering reliever Domingo Tapia with three straight doubles and a two-run home run to right from designated hitter Drew Dosch that narrowed the Louisville lead to one. The Bats turned to Wandy Peralta, who battled against Brugman and maintained the edge with an inning-closing fly out. The Tides finally completed the comeback in the eighth as Renato Núñez tied the game with a double to the right field corner.
In the bottom of the ninth, Selsky reached on a leadoff single, eventually reaching third, but VanMeter flew out to center and sent the game to extra innings. After Norfolk went scoreless in the top of the tenth, the Bats quickly clinched the victory with Williams' squeeze that scored tiebreaker runner VanMeter from third.
The Bats and Tides will square off in the rubber match of the series Sunday evening, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. at Louisville Slugger Field. Southpaw Cody Reed (1-5, 4.25) will start for Louisville, with Norfolk countering with right-hander Yefry Ramírez (3-4, 3.97).
