Bats Solid on the Mound, Fall 2-0 at Gwinnett on Memorial Day

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. – The Bats turned in a solid effort on the mound but couldn’t produce at the plate as they drop the series opener 2-0 to Gwinnett on Monday night at Coolray Field.

[Box Score]

Despite a 55-minute weather delay, Ben Lively (1-4, 4.50) took the mound for Louisville and cruised through the first three innings of the contest, striking out four of the first nine batters he faced.

Lively ran into trouble in the fourth as he walked the leadoff batter, the Stripers first baserunner of the game, and then gave up a base-hit to right field to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Lively struck out the next batter, but a wild pitch and throwing error allowed both runners to cross the plate and give Gwinnett a 2-0 lead. Buck Farmer (0-2, 5.00) would come on to pitch in a bases-loaded jam and get a double-play ball to limit the damage.

Bryce Elder (2-1, 5.10) was dominant for the Stripers, no-hitting the Bats into the seventh until Christian Santana shot a ball up the middle to put Louisville in the hit column.

The bullpen was a bright spot for the Bats tonight, putting together three plus innings of shutout of baseball, only giving up three hits while striking out two.

Louisville and Gwinnett will take a day off tomorrow, Tuesday May 31, before continuing the six-game series on Wednesday, June 1 at 7:05 pm E.T at Coolray Field. RHP Randy Wynne (1-6, 5.00) will take the hill for the Bats on Wednesday and will take on Gwinnett's RHP Huascar Ynoa (1-2, 5.64)