Chiefs drop middle game to Bats, 5-1

The Syracuse Chiefs dropped the second game of a three-game series to the Louisville Bats, 5-1, Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Syracuse pressured left-hander Cody Reed but left 13 runners on base in the game

Louisville (38-57) started the scoring in the second inning against Greg Ross, who started on three days' rest after the Major League promotions of Jacob Turner and Edwin Jackson. Brandon Dixon started the inning with a double and moved to third on Eric Jagielo's groundout. After a walk, Alex Blandino doubled to right field to score Dixon and give the Bats a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Phillip Ervin reached on a bunt single to start the inning. Two batters later, Ervin stole second and scored on a two-out Dixon single to left to stretch the lead to two. Jagielo then followed with a double to plate Dixon for a 3-0 lead.
The lead-off hits continued in the fourth. Blandino hit his first Triple-A home run, a fly ball over the left-center field fence to give Louisville a 4-0 lead.
Syracuse (33-60) scratched the scoreboard in the sixth. Ross singled with one out, his second time reaching base in the game. Andrew Stevenson followed with a double to center to put runners on second and third. Then with Alejandro De Aza batting, Reed threw a wild pitch, and Ross scored from third to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Ervin continued his big day in the seventh, hitting a one-out home run off Ross. Ervin's sixth of the season pushed the Bats lead to 5-1.
The Chiefs and Bats wrap up their three-game series Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Erick Fedde is scheduled to start for Syracuse opposite Jackson Stephens for Louisville.