Game 98, Away 50Louisville Bats (37-60) at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (56-41)RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (2-8, 7.15) vs. RHP Brody Koerner (3-1, 4.21)7:05 PM | Friday, July 19, 2019 | PNC FieldLISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app
Game 98, Away 50
Louisville Bats (37-60) at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (56-41)
RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (2-8, 7.15) vs. RHP Brody Koerner (3-1, 4.21)
7:05 PM | Friday, July 19, 2019 | PNC Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app
THE ELECTRIC CITY: The Bats begin a three-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Friday night, the first time the clubs will meet this season. Louisville is coming off back-to-back victories to earn a series split against the Pawtucket Red Sox, and will try to tie their season-high three-game winning streak tonight with right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez on the mound.
AGAINST SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE: The Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees are one of 3 teams Louisville has yet to play in 2019, along with the IL North's Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Rochester Red Wings. Last season, LOU went 2-3 against the RailRiders, 1-2 at Louisville Slugger Field and 1-1 at PNC Field, with the matchup scheduled for June 10, 2018 being cancelled due to rain.
TRANSACTIONS: On Thursday, the Reds recalled IF/OF Josh VanMeter and RHP Lucas Sims.
- LHP Amir Garrett joins Louisville on Major League rehab assignment, and will become the sixth rehabber to suit up for the Bats this season (IF Alex Blandino, IF Scooter Gennett, LHP Wandy Peralta, RHP Robert Stephenson, LHP Alex Wood). In 42 games with the Reds this season, Garrett is 3-1 with a 1.70 ERA (7er/37.0ip) with 25 hits allowed, 20 walks and 54 strikeouts. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 4 (retro 7/3) with a left lat strain.
- The Bats also added RHP Justin Grimm, who was acquired by the Reds in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. In 35 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, Grimm was 4-4 with a 5.66 ERA (26er/41.1ip) with one save, 15 walks and 56 strikeouts.
- Right-hander Jesús Reyes was designated for assignment to make room on Cincinnati's 40-man roster for newly acquired C Ryan Lavarnway. In 36 games for LOU this season, Reyes is 0-4 with a 5.66 ERA (30er/47.2ip) with 45 hits and 9 homers allowed, walking 31 and striking out 42.
BREAKING 2018 HOME RUN TOTAL: Left fielder Narciso Crook's home run in the fourth inning of Thursday's 4-2 win over Pawtucket was the 114th for Louisville as a team this season, already passing their 2018 total of 113 home runs. In 97 games this season, LOU has hit 115 home runs (1.19 HR/game), compared to 137 games yielding 113 homers in 2018 (0.80 HR/game). The 2019 Bats are on pace to hit about 166 homers over a 140-game schedule, which would tie a franchise record set by the 1999 RiverBats.
O'GRADY SETS RECORD: Designated hitter Brian O'Grady clubbed his 26th home run of the season, setting a new RiverBats/Bats record since the team has been affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds (2000). In franchise history (since 1982), he's just the sixth player ever to top the 25 HR mark, and first since Scott Krause finished with 26 HR in 1998.
THE OPPOSITE OF SMALL BALL: Louisville hit 3 home runs on Thursday (O'Grady, Crook, and Chadwick Tromp), their 11th game with 3+ homers as a team this season, going 8-3 in those games. The Bats totaled 11 such games in their previous 3 seasons combined (2016-18): 2 in 2016, 4 in 2017 and 5 last season.
