Three Bats Record Multi-Hit Games as Louisville Loses a Heartbreaker, 3-2
Toledo, Ohio – Michael Mariot tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in his team debut and a trio of Bats recorded multi-hit outings, but the Louisville Bats fell to the Toledo Mud Hens, 3-2, on a walkoff wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday night. [BOX SCORE] With the
Toledo, Ohio – Michael Mariot tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in his team debut and a trio of Bats recorded multi-hit outings, but the Louisville Bats fell to the Toledo Mud Hens, 3-2, on a walkoff wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday night.
With the score knotted 2-2 in the ninth, Carson Fulmer nearly forced extras by collecting two outs and putting runners on the corners. The right-hander then picked up what should have been the final out, but as Aderlin Rodriguez whiffed on the third strike of his at-bat, the ball scooted away and allowed the walkoff run to cross home to give Toledo the win.
Toledo spoiled an impressive start from Mariot in his first appearance with a MLB-affiliated minors’ organization since Aug. 7, 2018. The right-hander allowed three hits and two walks while striking out three and retired five of his final six batters.
Louisville broke into the scoring column in the top of the third inning to take an early 1-0 lead. Alejo Lopez began the sequence, leading off the frame with his 15th extra base hit of the season on an opposite=field double. Dwight Smith Jr. followed with a hard-hit ground ball that found space through the Toledo infield, allowing Lopez to come across to score the first run of the night.
The Bats added one more in the seventh to extend their lead to 2-0. TJ Friedl led off the frame reaching safely on a bunt before Chris Okey doubled over the head of the center fielder to bring Friedl around from first.
Toledo answered back with two runs of their own in the home half to draw even at two all. After a fielding error allowed the leadoff batter to get on base, Dustin Garneau jumped on the first pitch from Philip Diehl for a two-run shot over the left field wall.
The Bats and Mud Hens will return to Fifth Third Field on Sunday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. ET for the series finale. RHP Riley O’Brien (1-1, 3.03) is set to toe the rubber for Louisville, while Toledo will hand the ball to RHP Ricardo Pinto.