Bats' Struggles Continue, Lose 6-1 to Hens

Toledo, OH - In the first game of a quick three-game road trip the Bats found that life away from Louisville Slugger Field would not be the change-up they needed. The Mud Hens scored one run in the first and then two in the fourth and fifth inning, eventually winning 6-1 and giving the Bats their seventh defeat in their last nine games.

In Homer Bailey's second start since being optioned down from Cincinnati he couldn't get out of the fifth inning. A Mike Hessman sacrifice fly in the first, scored Freddy Guzman and put the Hens up 1-0.

Bailey appeared to settle down in the second and third but a two-run double in the fourth by Max St. Pierre put the Mud Ducks up 3-0 and then Hessman led off the fifth with his league-leading 25th home run of the year. The Hens would tack on one more run before Bailey was removed from the game with one out in the fifth. Bailey (4-6, 4.41) allowed eight hits, five earned runs, three walks and struck out five.

Chris Lambert (7-4, 3.27) kept the Bats off-balance the entire game. He threw six scoreless innings for the win, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out eight. The Bats were able to put a runner on third against Lambert in both the first and fifth inning, but failed to bring the runner home.

The Bats lone run came in the eighth when Drew T. Anderson drilled a two-out triple to centerfield off of Francisco Cruceta and later scored on a passed ball by St. Pierre.

Louisville and Toledo square off again tomorrow night at 7:00, as the Bats look to end their recent skid. Justin Mallett (2-1, 4.91) will take the mound for Louisville and be opposed by RHP Aquilino Lopez (0-0, 3.60).