PAWTUCKET, R.I. - The Louisville Bats (36-60) dominated the Pawtucket Red Sox (39-56) on Wednesday night, winning by an 8-1 score at McCoy Stadium. Narciso Crook led the offense with three hits and five RBI, hitting a triple and home run.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. - The Louisville Bats (36-60) dominated the Pawtucket Red Sox (39-56) on Wednesday night, winning by an 8-1 score at McCoy Stadium. Narciso Crook led the offense with three hits and five RBI, hitting a triple and home run.
Major League rehabber Alex Wood (0-1, 5.06) made his third start for Louisville this season, registering his most effective outing to date. The left-hander kept the PawSox off the board in 2.0 innings of work, allowing two hits and one walk, striking out three on 38 pitches and 23 strikes. Wood's outing was cut short due to a rain delay, which would last 2 hours and 19 minutes.
After the lengthy rain delay, Louisville scored the game's first run in the top of the fifth when Blake Trahan's sacrifice fly scored Alex Blandino. Pawtucket answered quickly when Juan Centeno stole home in the fifth to knot it up at 1-1. Louisville reliever Jackson Stephens went 3.0 innings, allowing the game-tying run on three hits, walking and striking out a pair.
The Bats' offense would erupt in the seventh, scoring five runs in the frame and snapping an 0-for-16 slump with runners in scoring position. Nick Longhi doubled, Brian O'Grady reached on an error and Alex Blandino walked, when Narciso Crook came to the plate with the bases loaded.
Crook delivered with a bases-clearing, three-run triple, his team-leading fourth of the season and second of the series. Stuart Turner drove in Crook with an RBI double, with Turner coming around to score on a Scott Schebler RBI single to cap off the big inning. The Bats were back at it in the eighth, with Longhi doubling for the second time in as many innings, and Crook homering to give the Bats a commanding 8-1 lead.
Crook finished the night 3-for-3 with a triple, home run, walk and 5 RBI, which tied a career-high. Longhi went 3-for-4 with the pair of doubles and two runs scored.
Right-hander Brad Markey provided excellent relief for Louisville, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit, keeping a potential Pawtucket comeback out of the picture as Louisville's offense broke it open. Right-hander R.J. Alaniz finished the PawSox off with a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
Pawtucket outfielder and University of Louisville product Cole Sturgeon pitched a scoreless inning for the PawSox, recording a strikeout in the top of the ninth.
The Bats go for the series tie on Thursday morning with an 11:05 a.m. scheduled first pitch. Right-hander Lucas Sims (5-0, 4.56) is slated to start for Louisville, with Pawtucket right-hander Teddy Stankiewicz (4-5, 4.12) set to be his opponent in the series finale.
