Louisville Bats Notes: 7-26-19

Game 104, Home 52
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (60-43) at Louisville Bats (40-63)
RHP Keury Mella (6-10, 4.77) vs. RHP Deivi Garcia (1-0, 4.50)
7:00 PM | Friday, July 26, 2019 | Louisville Slugger Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran& Jim Kelch, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app

WEEKEND SERIES: Louisville welcomes the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to Louisville Slugger Field for the first time this season, after taking 2 of 3 against the New York Yankees' Triple-A affiliate last weekend at PNC Field. The Bats aim to win their fourth home series and ninth overall this season.
AGAINST SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE: The Bats hit 11 home runs against the RailRiders in the clubs' recent matchup, tying a season-high 5 homers in the Sunday finale. In last Friday's opener, the Bats overcame a 6-0 ninth inning deficit to eventually win 8-6 in 10 innings, their first win in a game they trailed by 6+ runs since 2011.
- Outfielder Narciso Crook tore up RailRiders pitching, batting .364 (4-for-11) with a triple and 2 home runs en route to winning the IL Batter of the Week award (7/15-7/21), batting .455 (10-for-22) with 6 runs, 3 triples, 4 homers, 9 RBI and 4 walks during the week.
- Right-hander Keury Mella made his last start in the finale, tossing his third straight quality start (6.0ip, 2er) in the Bats' most recent road game.
500 RUNS: Coming into play Friday, Louisville has 499 runs in 103 games this season, averaging about 4.84 runs/game. Last season, LOU did not score its 500th run of the season until August 18 at Charlotte in the team's 122nd game. The 500th run scored when Gabriel Guerrero crossed the plate on a Taylor Sparks RBI single in the eighth inning, as the Bats came down from 6-1 to tie it 6-6 in the ninth, ultimately losing 7-6 in 10 innings. LOU finished up the 2018 campaign with 576 runs in 137 games (4.20 runs/game).
BARNHART'S REHAB: Catcher Tucker Barnhart went 1-for-3 with a double and run scored in his lone rehab game for Louisville, batting out of the leadoff spot Thursday night before being activated by Cincinnati late Friday afternoon. He caught 5 innings, recording a caught stealing when Gwinnett's Andrés Blanco was caught trying to swipe second base. Barnhart is the sixth rehabber to join the Bats this season (IF Alex Blandino, IF Scooter Gennett, LHP Wandy Peralta, RHP Robert Stephenson, LHP Alex Wood).
TRANSACTIONS: Catcher Stuart Turner was placed on the 7-day injured list today with left knee effusion. In a corresponding move, catcher Cassidy Brown was activated from the 7-day injured list after being placed there on July 15.
UNDER .500 SCORING FIRST: The Bats led 3-0 after 3 innings yesterday, giving up the lead in the eventual 5-4 loss. Louisville has scored first in 50 ballgames this season, but owns just a 24-26 (.480) record in those contests, which ranks last in the IL. Last season, LOU finished last in that scenario with a 42-27 (.609) record.