Louisville Bats Notes: 5-18-19

Game 42, Away 22
Louisville Bats (17-24) at Buffalo Bisons (15-22)
RHP Rob Wooten (NR w/LOU) vs. LHP Clayton Richard (NR)
1:05 PM | Saturday, May 18, 2019 | Sahlen Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app

MIDDLE GAME DEBUT DAY: The Bats and Bisons meet for the second game of their three-game series with each team rolling out a starting pitcher who will make their respective team debuts in 2019. Right-hander Rob Wooten, who's appeared in a Louisville uniform in each of the last 2 seasons, will toe the rubber for the Bats, as the Bisons start left-hander Clayton Richard, who is set to make his debut in the Toronto organization.
AGAINST BUFFALO: The Bats and Bisons are scheduled to meet a total of 6 times this season, 3 at each club's home ballpark. Last season, Louisville did not play a single game at Sahlen Field (then named Coca-Cola Field) due to inclement weather from April 16-18. There were 2 cancellations and one postponement, with the game being made up at Louisville Slugger Field with the Bats as the "road" team in game two of a doubleheader on July 24. Friday night was Louisville's first game at Buffalo since July 30, 2017.
TRANSACTIONS: The Cincinnati Reds have made a flurry of transactions that involved the Bats over the past 3 days, including Louisville's Opening Day starter Odrisamer Despaigne opting out of his contract on Thursday. In other moves, Cincinnati recalled left-hander Cody Reed for the second time this season, with the reliever tossing 2.0 innings against the Dodgers last night.
- The Bats added a pair of pitchers, today's probable starter Rob Wooten, and lefty reliever Juan Martinez. Wooten is 1-2 with a 4.40 ERA (14er/28.2ip) with 4 walks and 24 strikeouts in 6 starts with Class AA Chattanooga this season. He's appeared in 7 games (6 starts) with Louisville between 2017-18. Martinez is another familiar face for the Bats, appearing in 2 games (one start) with Louisville last season. In 5 relief apps for Chattanooga this season, he's 2-0 and has not allowed a run in 8.1 innings, walking 2 and striking out 3.
- Louisville also activated off the injured list outfielder Aristides Aquino, who had been sidelined since April 22 with a right shoulder sprain. In his debut at the Triple-A level, Aquino is batting .286 with 4 homers and 8 RBI in 15 games with LOU this season.
WE GOT JOSH: The Reds also optioned Josh VanMeter to Louisville, with the infielder expected to join the team at home this week against Indianapolis. VanMeter earned a promotion to the Majors with an historic month of April for the Bats, winning the league's Player of the Month award after leading the IL in several offensive categories, including home runs (13) and RBI (31). He made his MLB debut with the Reds on May 5, and batted .143 (2-for-14) in 8 games.
SPOILED: The Bats led by a 5-1 score on Friday before ultimately falling 7-6, matching their largest lead (4 runs) this season in a game which they ended up losing. It also occurred on Opening Day, when they led Toledo by a 4-0 score before losing 10-5.
DOING MORE WITH LESS: Louisville manufactured 6 runs on just 3 hits last night, including scoring 3 runs in the second inning without even registering a hit. It was the first time LOU had scored 6+ runs in a game with fewer than 6 hits since May 9, 2012, when LOU won 6-5 vs. Norfolk with just 5 hits.