Bats go cold late, fall 13-6

PAWTUCKET, R.I.-The Louisville Bats (16-38) dropped the middle game of the series with the Pawtucket Red Sox (17-24) in a 13-6 slugfest Wednesday evening at McCoy Stadium.
With MLB All-Star and Cy Young Award winner, David Price pitching on a rehab assignment, the Bats grabbed four early runs in the top of the first inning. Phillip Ervin got the offense started with a ground-rule double to left field to leadoff the inning, while Jesse Winker single put runners at first and second. A wild pitch and an infield error would result in the first two runs of the game, and a Brandon Dixon double to right drove in two more.
Pawtucket answered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning starting with another major leaguer on a rehab assignment, Pablo Sandoval doubling down the left field line to plate their first run of the contest. The following batter, Brian Bogusevic smacked a line drive over the wall in left field for a two-run home run, making it a 4-3 Louisville lead after the first inning.
Price could not cool the Louisville offense in the second inning with the leadoff hitter reaching for the second-consecutive inning courtesy of a Zach Vincej single. Tony Renda would single later in the inning scoring Vincej, while Renda would move to third on a stolen base and a passed ball. The second run of the inning came off of a winker single, his second of the game, scoring Renda from third. Winker has now reached base in seven of nine at-bats in the series which includes six hits.
Scoring four runs with two outs in the bottom of the third, the Red Sox took a 7-6 after three innings. Five consecutive batters reached with two down, highlighted by a two-run no-doubter to left field for the first two runs of the inning. A fielding error on a single to center field allowed the final two runs of the inning to come around, giving Pawtucket their first lead of the game.
Bats' starter Vin Mazzaro saw his 2017 and Louisville debut come to an end during the Pawtucket four run third inning. Mazzaro took the loss going two and two-thirds innings allowing eight hits and seven runs, six earned.
Louisville failed to score after the second inning, while Pawtucket added two scores in the fourth and four more in the seventh en route to finishing the game with 10 unanswered runs to collect the 13-6 victory.
The final game of the three-game set will be an afternoon matinee Thursday at 11:05 a.m. Louisville will send Ismael lefty Ismael Guillon (0-0, 5.40 ERA) to the mound looking to capture their third series win of the season. Right-hander Kyle Kendrick (1-3, 7.50 ERA) is set to take the mound for Pawtucket.