Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Triple-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Louisville Bats Louisville Bats

Louisville Bats Notes: July 18

Homer Bailey makes a rehab start as Louisville goes for the series win
(Courtesy of the Cincinnati Reds)
July 18, 2018

TONIGHT'S FINALE: The Louisville Bats dominated the middle game of the series on Tuesday morning against Rochester, winning 12-5. Brandon Dixon recorded the sixth cycle in Louisville franchise history, going 4-for-5 with 4 runs and 3 RBI. Tonight the Bats will attempt to win their first series since June 25-27

TONIGHT'S FINALE: The Louisville Bats dominated the middle game of the series on Tuesday morning against Rochester, winning 12-5. Brandon Dixon recorded the sixth cycle in Louisville franchise history, going 4-for-5 with 4 runs and 3 RBI. Tonight the Bats will attempt to win their first series since June 25-27 at Columbus, with right-hander Homer Bailey set to make his final rehab start for Louisville.

DIXON HITS FOR THE CYCLE: Second baseman Brandon Dixon hit a single, double, triple and home run in the Bats' 12-5 win yesterday, the sixth cycle in Louisville history since 1982. He singled in his first at-bat, then doubled, grounded out, hit a solo home run, and finally tripled in the top of the ninth to secure the International League's third cycle this season, following Durham's Willy Adames (4/23) and Toledo's Ronny Rodríguez (5/30).
-Prior to Dixon hitting for the cycle, the Bats' last cycle was accomplished by Scott Schebler on July 26, 2016 vs. Charlotte. Coincidentally, the Reds acquired Schebler and Dixon, along with IF José Peraza , in the same 3-way trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers that sent IF Todd Frazier to the Chicago White Sox on December 16, 2015.
-Dixon's cycle was not his first dominant game against the Red Wings, clubbing 3 home runs against them last season on August 20 at Louisville Slugger Field. In that game, he went 4-for-7 with 3 runs, one double, 3 homers and 7 RBI in the Bats' 13-6 win.
AGAINST ROCHESTER: The Bats and Red Wings meet in the rubber match of their first series this season. Last season, Louisville went 2-4 against the top farm club of the Minnesota Twins, with Rochester taking two out of three games in both series. In 2016, the Bats swept the Red Wings in 3 games at Frontier Field from June 24-26. After this series, the clubs will meet again at Louisville Slugger Field from July 27-29 during the Bats' next homestand.
TEN BY TEN, BRANDON DIXON BACK AGAIN: Third baseman D.J. Peterson 's two-run home run in the top of the first inning off Rochester starting pitcher Adalberto Mejía was Peterson's 10th home run of the season, the first LOU hitter to reach 10 homers in 2018. Last season, only Brandon Dixon reached 10+ homers for the Bats, hitting 16 total and his 10th on July 25 in game 2 of a doubleheader at Syracuse.
-Center fielder Phillip Ervin notched his 10th stolen base this season in Tuesday's game as well, the first LOU player to reach double digits in steals this season. Last season, Dixon became the first LOU player to steal 10 bags when he swiped his 10th on June 23, stealing 18 last year. Darnell Sweeney also reached doubled digits, swiping 11 for LOU.
WITH A WIN TODAY: With a win today, the Bats would earn their seventh series win of the season and third on the road. Louisville's two road series wins came against Toledo (June 15-17) and Columbus (June 25-27), taking two out of three games in both series.
FOUR ACES: Right-hander Robert Stephenson earned his fourth straight win yesterday, going 7.0 innings and giving up just 2 runs to improve to 9-6 on the season. He's the first LOU pitcher to win 4+ straight starts since right-hander Jon Moscot won 5 straight to begin the 2015 season.
GUERRERO EXTENDS HIT STREAK: Right fielder Gabriel Guerrero went 2-for-5 with 4 RBI, extending his season-high hitting streak to 8 games. Since his streak began on July 7, he's batting .371 (13-for-35) with one double, 3 home runs and 10 RBI.