Louisville Bats Notes: July 13

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Louisville Bats and Columbus Clippers meet for the second of a four-game series at Louisville Slugger Field. The Clip Show won the opener by a 6-4 score Thursday night. Hernan Iribarren recorded a pair of milestone hits in the game, with left-hander Cody Reed taking his eighth loss of the season. Tonight, Major League rehabber Homer Bailey toes the rubber for Louisville as the Bats look to even the series.

AGAINST COLUMBUS: The Bats and Clippers meet for the fifth of seven overall series this season and the final one at Louisville Slugger Field. The Clip Show has held a 7-4 edge through the teams' first 11 meetings at Louisville's home ballpark, while LOU took 2 of 3 from Columbus at Huntington Park to bring the season series to a 7-6 Columbus advantage before the Clippers' 6-4 win Thursday night. Despite trailing the season series by 2 games, the Bats have outscored the Clippers 76-72 through 14 matchups.
SECOND HALF ROLLS ON: The Bats began the "second half" of the season last night against the Clip Show. Since 2008, LOU is now just 3-8 in the first game following the Triple-A All-Star break after Thursday's 6-4 loss, last winning in a home game vs. Indianapolis in 2016 by a 9-8 score. Here's a look where the Bats have stood statistically at the season's break:
Breaking Down the Numbers: Where Louisville's Been at the All-Star Break
Season Runs     AVG (H/AB)      HR        ERA     BB/SO [P]
2016     317       .253 (768/3037) 47         3.80      308/685
2017     349       .265 (821/3098) 50         4.41      346/730
2018     344       .259 (737/2842) 66         4.46      275/649
REHAB STATS: Right-hander Homer Bailey , who is expected to make his sixth rehab appearance (fifth start) with Louisville this season (6/11, 23, 28, 7/3, 8) is the fifth MLB rehabber to pitch for the Bats in 2018, along with RHP Anthony DeSclafani (5/25, 30), LHP Brandon Finnegan (4/9) and RHPs David Hernandez (4/20, 23, 25) and Kevin Shackelford (4/22), who have combined for 12 rehab outings for Louisville this season. Rehabbers have compiled an 6.95 ERA, with 34 earned runs in 44.0 innings on the mound. The Bats are 4-8 as a club when a pitcher makes a rehab outing, winning their last 2 Bailey outings.
TOP FIVE & 1,500 HITS: Hernan Iribarren made history last night as part of a 3-for-4 night. With his second single of the night, he moved into sole possession of 5th place on Louisville's all-time hits list, passing Corky Miller. His third of the night was his 1,500th career hit as a professional, accumulating 1,481 career hits as a minor leaguer and 19 in the Majors.
P.E. IS SIMMERING IN JULY: Outfielder Phillip Ervin went 1-for-3 with a triple and 4 RBI last night, accounting for all of Louisville's RBI as a team. Since July 1, Ervin is batting .406 (13-for-32) with 3 runs, one double, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 14 RBI, with his RBI total pacing the International League in that span. He's currently riding a season-long six-game hitting streak.
TRANSACTIONS: Today the Cincinnati Reds optioned to Class AAA Louisville right-handed relief pitcher Tanner Rainey . In a corresponding move, right-hander Austin Brice was recalled to Cincinnati. Brice had made 6 appearances out of Louisville's bullpen, allowing 3 earned runs in 7.0 innings of work (3.86 ERA), walking 4 and striking out 7.
FRIDAY THE 13TH, TIMES TWO!: Louisville last played on Friday the 13th in April this season, losing 9-5 at Lehigh Valley. This season is the first time that LOU will play multiple games on Friday the 13th in the same season since 2007.