Lehr Gives Bullpen Much Needed Rest, Bats Win 5-1
Bats' starter Lehr retired 10 straight batters at one point to pick up his seventh victory in eight decisions for Louisviile. Lehr allowed only a single run, while striking out four batters.
The Bisons scored first in the top of the third. Kentucky-native and former Bat Andy Green led off the inning with a walk. Two outs later, Jesus Feliciano singled to move Green from first to third. Chip Ambres followed with an RBI-double down the left field line, scoring Green to give the Bisons a 1-0 advantage.
Lehr was able to help himself out, leading off the bottom-half of the third with a single up the middle. Drew Stubbs then walked to give the Bats runners on first and second, with no outs. After Alex Gonzalez bounced into a twin-killing, erasing Stubbs and himself, Chris Heisey was able to drive in Lehr with an infield single. With Lehr on third base, Heisey hit a dribbler down the third-base line. Bisons' starter Lance Broadway fielded the ball off-balance and threw wide to catcher Robinson Cancel. Lehr scored and Heisey advanced to second on the errant throw. However, he was stranded there; leaving the score tied 1-1.
Chris Valaika broke the stalemate in the fourth inning, launching his fifth home run of the year. The 380-foot bomb to the left field stands gave the Bats a 2-1 lead.
The Bats added another run in the fifth, their third consecutive inning with a run. Stubbs nearly got all of a pitch from Broadway, roping a line-drive double to the gap in left-center field that one-hopped the wall. A ground out by Gonzalez moved Stubbs to third and set the stage for Kevin Barker. Barker hit a shallow fly ball to left field, but Bisons' left fielder Nick Evans didn't challenge Stubbs at the plate, allowing him to score to extend the Bats' lead 3-1.
In his first game back with the Bats, catcher Brian Peterson pitched in with a run of his own in the sixth inning. Peterson started the inning by hitting a ground ball to third base. Javier Castillo had the ball tip off his glove, allowing Peterson to reach first. Lehr executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Peterson to second. After moving to third on a ground out by Stubbs, Peterson scored on a run-producing single off the bat off Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, who is on a Major League rehab, left the game in the top of the eighth inning and finished 1-for-4 for the Bats.
Darnell McDonald gave the game its' final tally of 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh. McDonald launched a 357-foot home run to left field off of Bisons' reliever Eddie Kunz.
Bats' reliever Robert Manuel pitched a scoreless ninth to guarantee the win.
The Bats and the Bisons will play the second game of a four-game set tomorrow night at Louisville Slugger Field. Probable starters for the match-up are LHP Matt Maloney (6-6, 2.50) for the Bats against RHP Tobi Stoner (2-3, 4.98) for the Bisons. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.