Bats Comeback Thwarted In 8-5 Loss

The Louisville Bats fought hard time and time again to get back into Saturday night’s game against the Gwinnett Stripers. But the home team proved too much late in the game, handing Louisville an 8-5 loss at Coolray Field in the fifth game of their six-game series.

The back-and-forth battle began early. Louisville had the first chance to get on the board with runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first. However, Gwinnett starter Bryce Elder induced a lineout from P.J. Higgins before striking out Conner Capel to end the first unscathed.

In the bottom of the frame, a two-out rally put the Stripers in front off Bats righty Lyon Richardson. After Luke Waddell was hit by a pitch to extend the inning, Alejo L0pez gave the Stripers the lead with an RBI single to center.

Louisville responded in the top of the second when Georgia native Michael Trautwein connected on his second home run of the season, a 402-foot blast to right to delight friends and family in attendance. The Bats then took the lead later in the inning on Levi Jordan’s RBI single to score Alex McGarry, who reached with a walk following Trautwein’s homer.

Gwinnett took the lead right back in the bottom half, putting togher a rally capped by a Phillip Evans RBI single, coupled with a throwing error from Bats right fielder Rece Hinds, to put the home team up 3-2 and bring an end to Richardson’s start. Over 1.2 innings, Richardson allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Casey Legumina was first out of the Bats bullpen and allowed an unearned run over 2.1 innings to keep the game close.

The Bats fought back to get even in the fifth. Jordan, Mike Ford, and Higgins each walked to load the bases. Capel grounded an RBI single through the right side of the infield to make it a one-run game. Trautwein tied the game two hitter later with a sacrifice fly to right.

The tie didn’t last long as the Skye Bolt’s RBI double down the left field line put the home team ahead 5-4 off rehabbing Reds southpaw Sam Moll (L, 1-1). Michael Byrne was next out of the Louisville bullpen and allowed an RBI single from Leury Garcia to score Bolt and make it 6-4 Stripers.

Again, Louisville made it closer, this time in the seventh. Capel reached on a double. He would score on an error that allowed Hinds to reach second. Hinds then stole third to put the tying run 90 feet away with one out. But the tying run wouldn’t come around as Gwinnett reliever Tommy Doyle struck out Trautwein and got Erik Gonzalez to ground out, ending the inning.

Gwinnett pulled away with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth against Justin Bruihl, taking an 8-5 lead that was too much for the Bats to overcome.

Dunn was strong from the top of the Bats’ lineup, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base. Capel went 3-for-5, doubling twice and adding a run scored. Trautwein was 1-for-3 with the home run and two RBI. The Bats left 10 men on base in the loss, going just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Eight of the nine Stripers starters recorded a hit in the win as they scored in five separate innings to get the win and the series lead.

Louisville (4-4) and Gwinnett (5-3) wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon at Coolray Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Nick Lodolo is scheduled to make his second rehab start on the mound for the Bats. Nick Curran will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.