McGuire, Bats Can't Complete Rally, Fall 6-3 to Nashville in Extras on Friday Night

LOUISVILLE, KY. – Deck McGuire turned in his second consecutive quality start and the Bats rallied late to send the game into extra innings, but the effort was not enough as Louisville (57-89) fell 6-3 to Nashville (88-56) on Saturday night at Louisville Slugger Field.

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Despite an hour and nine-minute weather delay, both the Bats and Sounds starters were locked in. Louisville’s Deck McGuire (4-5, 6.49) cruised through the first two innings, facing the minimum, before giving up his first hit in the third inning.

Nashville put the first runs of the game on the board in the top of the fourth, scoring a run on a wild pitch and two on a two-run home run to take a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, the Bats threatened as Juniel Querecuto doubled to center field with one out to get into scoring position. The threat would come to pass as the next two batters struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Bats tallied their first run of the game in the sixth. Steven Leyton laced a ball to the center field wall and raced around the base path for his first career Triple-A triple to lead off the inning. Lorenzo Cedrola brought Leyton home in the next at-bat with a ground out to third as Louisville cut into Nashville’s lead, 3-1.

McGuire turned a quality outing, tossing 6.0 innings while allowing just three runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. The quality start is McGuire’s second consecutive with both coming at Louisville Slugger Field.

Louisville made things interesting in the home half of the eighth. Leyton kicked the inning off with a leadoff single, followed immediately by a single from Cedrola to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a wild pitch moved both Leyton and Cedrola into scoring position, Querecuto took a pitch to the back to load the bases with one out. TJ Hopkins brought Leyton home with a ground out to second and bring the Bats within one, down 3-2 with two outs. Ronnie Dawson and Isiah Gilliam then drew back-to-back walks to re-load the bases and score Cedrola to tie the game 3-3, but the Bats would leave the bases loaded with no further damage.

Neither team could muster a run in the ninth as the game headed to extra innings, marking the 18th extra inning game for Louisville this season.

Nashville tacked on three runs to open the tenth to take a 6-3 lead. Despite the placed runner at second base and a leadoff walk from Michael Papierski, Louisville was unable to put forth another rally as they fell 6-3.

The Bats will conclude their regular season home schedule with the Sounds tomorrow afternoon with first pitch set for 1:05 pm E.T. Right hander Ben Lively (2-5, 4.21) will take the hill for Louisville while Nashville has yet to announce a starter.