Bats win fourth straight behind Redmond, extra base hits
Redmond allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 5.1 innings, sending the Bats (47-71) to their fourth straight win, their second longest winning streak of the season. Redmond came on in relief of starter Nick Masset, who was making a scheduled rehab assignment. It was the first time Redmond had come out of the bullpen this season and just the seventh time since 2005.
Redmond replaced Masset with two men on and two outs in the second, and immediately walked Audy Ciriaco to load the bases. Bryan Holaday capitalized with a single to bring Danny Dorn and Matt Young home, giving the Mud Hens an early 2-0 lead. Masset got credit for both runs after allowing both men to reach prior to his exit.
From there it was all Redmond, who did not face more than four batters in a single frame. The Mud Hens finally chased him away after he gave up a double to Calo Iorg and walked Justin Henry to start the eighth. The win evens Redmond's record at 8-8, including 2-2 since joining Louisville in a trade on July 14.
Louisville got all of their offense in the fourth and fifth innings, using six extra base hits to put the game away. Back-to-back doubles from Mike Costanzo and Neftali Soto got the Bats on the board in the fourth, and Chris Valaika tied it with a RBI single, evening the score at two apiece. The offensive momentum continued in the fifth. Bill Rhinehart started it off with a double, and Gregorious smacked a triple for the first run of the inning. Henry Rodriguez and Costanzo followed with RBI doubles for a 5-2 Bats lead.
Toledo starter Thad Weber (6-11) took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks. J.J. Hoover picked up his 11th save by working a perfect ninth, striking out two. Constanzo finished 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, a run scored and an RBI to lead the offense. Dorn was the only Toledo player to finish with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
Masset was impressive in the first inning of his rehab start but had mixed results in the second. He needed only eight pitches to retire the side in the first, and started the next frame by striking out John Lindsey. He then allowed a single to Dorn, but rebounded by striking out Danny Worth. He finished his night by walking Young, giving way to Redmond.
The final line on Masset was two runs on a hit and a walk on 21 pitches in 1.2 innings. It was Masset's fourth rehab start since going on the DL at the beginning of the season with a right shoulder injury. He had allowed just one hit in three innings between appearances with the AZL Reds and Single-A Dayton. Last season, Masset went 3-6 with a 3.71 ERA in 75 games with the Reds, converting one of seven save opportunities.
The Mud Hens scored in the eighth on a 4-3-6-3-6 double play, cutting the gap to 5-3. Dorn hit a groundball to Valaika, but no one was covering second and Valaika began chasing Lindsey back to first. When Lindsey stopped to run back to second, Valaika threw out Dorn at first, and Costanzo returned the ball to Didi Gregorius. Gregorious and Costanzo exchanged the ball again, before Gregorious made a diving tag of Lindsey to end the frame. Iorg managed to score from second on the unique play.
Pedro Villarreal (3-8, 4.01 ERA) will start the third game of the series between the two clubs Wednesday at Louisville Slugger Field. His opposing will be Adam Wilk (4-11, 2.95 ERA).