Reineke, Bats sink Clips, 4-2

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A three-run fifth boosted the Bats as they evened the five-game series with the Columbus Clippers at 2-2 Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field in front of 7,972 fans. The Bats have won the last two of the series in Louisville after dropping the first two in Columbus over the weekend. Dave Sappelt went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs and Yonder Alonso went 3-for-4, including a two-run single, to lead the offense.

Bats starting pitcher Chad Reineke went 5.1 innings to pick up the win. Reineke (7-5, 3.17) gave up two earned runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out five. Jeremy Horst pitched 2.2 perfect innings in relief of Reineke, including striking out the side in the eighth. Jerry Gil pitched the ninth inning to record his fifth save and secure the win for Reineke and the Bats.

Clippers starting pitcher Scott Barnes allowed four earned runs in his 5.2 innings en route to the loss. Barnes (6-3, 6.31) gave up seven hits while walking two and striking out three.

The Clippers jumped out on top early. With no outs and the bases loaded in the top of the first, clean-up hitter Chad Huffman lifted a fly ball to right-center field to score Ezequiel Carrera, who led off the game with a single and stole his league-leading 32nd base. Reineke, however, was able to get out of the inning without any further damage.

Dave Sappelt wasted no time getting that run back, tying the game at 1-1 with a 386-ft solo home run to the Dean's Milk Home Run Terrace in left-center field with one out in the bottom of the first. It was Sappelt's seventh blast of the season.

The Bats secured their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Five straight Bats reached base en route to plating three. Chris Valaika singled, Corky Miller was hit by a pitch and Zack Cozart walked, all with one out. Sappelt then lined a single to center to score Valaika and put the Bats up 2-1. Not satisfied, Yonder Alonso followed with a ground ball right back through the middle to score Miller and Cozart to extend the Bats' lead to 4-1. It was one of three hits on the night for Alonso as he raised his batting average back to .300.

The Clippers tried to battle back in the top of the sixth. They stroked three hits off Reineke to score one and chase the Bats' starter. A run-scoring double by Jeff Goedert plated Luis Valbuena to cut the Clippers' deficit to 4-2, but Jeremy Horst came in to record the final two outs of the frame. Horst also pitched perfect seventh and eighth innings.

The finale of the five-game series will be at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday for Ladies' Night at Louisville Slugger Field. LHP Travis Wood (1-1, 3.75) will be on the bump for the Bats and RHP Zach McAllister (8-2, 2.93) gets the ball for the Clips.