Bats Roll IronPigs in Mud, Win 2-1
Wood pitched six strong innings, allowing only a single run. After a pair of long innings in the first and the second, Wood settled down, surrendering only one more hit over four innings.
Both teams threatened to score in the first inning, but failed to do so.
Louisville had runners on the corners, with only one out, due to a pair of singles by leadoff batter Drew Stubbs and Darnell McDonald. Things appeared to be in the Bats favor, with clean-up man Kevin Barker stepping to the plate. However, Barker lined out to second baseman J.J. Furmaniak and Wes Bankston grounded out to third, ending the inning and stranding both runners.
McDonald finished the game 4-for-4 for the Bats. It was his second four-hit game of the season.
Lehigh Valley came closer to scoring, but right fielder McDonald gunned Mike Cervenak at the plate for the final out. Terry Tiffee singled sharply to McDonald and with two outs, the IronPigs decided to send Cervenak home. McDonald's throw was right on target, barely edging Cervenak.
The old saying is, "What goes around comes around." This proved to be true as the Bats got a little taste of their own medicine in the top of the second. After Chris Denove doubled, Wood singled to left field. Denove attempted to put the Bats on the board, but was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Michael Taylor.
Finally breaking through, the IronPigs scored a run in the bottom of the second inning. A couple of singles by John Mayberry and Paul Hoover got the rally going for Lehigh Valley. Even after Furmaniak bounced into a twin-killing, Mayberry was able to advance to third base. IronPigs starter' Brian Mazone didn't leave him there, hitting a flare over the head of Wood, which landed and allowed Mazone to reach first. Meanwhile, Mayberry scampered home to give Mazone an RBI and the IronPigs the brief 1-0 advantage.
Mazone, who recorded his first RBI of the season in the second, has only recorded six career professional RBI's.
Answering right back, the Bats tied the score 1-1, on a solo shot off the bat of Chris Heisey. Heisey laced his fifth home run of the season to left field off of IronPigs starter' Mazone.
An unusual suspect sparked a rally for the Bats in the seventh inning. With two outs, Wood singled for the second time in the game. Then, he recorded his first stolen base of the year, stealing second base. The next batter, Stubbs, doubled to center field to score Wood and give the Bats their first lead of the game at 2-1.
After the Stubbs double in the seventh, both Lehigh Valley manager Dave Huppert and shortstop Miguel Cairo were ejected by home plate umpire Brian Reilly. The disputed call was a 2-2 pitch to Stubbs, which would've ended the inning had it been called a strike. However, it was called a ball and Stubbs would pick up an RBI double later in the at bat.
Enerio Del Rosario (0-0, 1.13) came on in the ninth inning to record his second save for the Bats. He threw a flawless ninth, retiring all three batters he faced.
Tomorrow night the Bats will go for the series-victory against the IronPigs at Coca-Cola Park. Probable pitchers for the match-up are LHP Matt Maloney (8-8, 2.71) for Louisville against LHP Gustavo Chacin (7-3, 3.09) for Lehigh Valley. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.