Louisville Bats Notes: 8-1-19

Game 110, Away 56
Louisville Bats (45-64) at Columbus Clippers (61-47)
RHP Sal Romano (4-7, 4.70) vs. RHP Jordan Stephens (3-4, 8.60)
7:05 PM | Thursday, August 1, 2019 | Huntington Park
LISTEN: Nick Curran, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Bats and Clippers square off in the second and final game of a two-game series at Huntington Park, with Louisville going for its second series sweep in their last 3 series. Last night, LOU played in its longest game of the season (4 hours, 9 minutes) as they won 11-8 in 11 innings, handing the Clip Show their first loss in extra innings all season. Tonight, righty Sal Romano makes his first Louisville start since being optioned by the Reds on July 28.
AGAINST COLUMBUS: The Bats go for the two-game sweep against the Clippers, with Louisville also trying to tie the season series at 8 games apiece. Last night's 11-8 win over Columbus was the highest-scoring game (19 runs) between the clubs since June 27 last season, when the Bats defeated the Clippers by an 11-10 score. LOU still has 9 scheduled games left against Columbus coming into play Thursday, the most of any club.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: Louisville tied its season-high 19 hits on Wednesday, previously doing so on April 26 in a 16-14 loss vs. Norfolk in the highest-scoring game in Louisville Slugger Field history. The Bats also set a new-season high with 9 extra-base hits (5 doubles, one triple, 3 home runs). The 9 XBH are the most in a game for LOU since July 17, 2018, when LOU recorded 9 in a 12-5 win at Rochester, when Brandon Dixon hit for the cycle.
ARISTIDES AQUISHOW: Right fielder and 2019 IL All-Star Aristides Aquino had his contract selected by the Reds today, set to make his return to the Majors after appearing in one game with Cincinnati on August 19, 2018.
- In 78 games with LOU this season, Aquino is batting .299 (88-for-294) with 56 runs, 13 doubles, one triple, 28 home runs, 53 RBI and 5 stolen bases. He's ranked 2nd in the IL in homers, and second in OPS (.992). The 25-year-old has recorded numerous achievements and milestones this season, including a 22-game hit streak from May 23-June 19, which is second-longest in franchise history (since 1982). He also broke the all-time Bats record (since 2000) for most HR in a season (25) along with Brian O'Grady, and homered in 4 consecutive games from July 25-28.
TROMP FESTIVAL: Catcher Chadwick Tromp stepped up to the plate in the top of the 11th last night and belted a grand slam to give Louisville an 11-7 lead, his second bases-clearing home run in as many games, also hitting a granny on July 29 at Toledo. He's just the second LOU player since 1982 to hit grand slams in back-to-back games in which he appeared, joining fellow catcher Devin Mesoraco (8/9-8/10/2010).
LUH-VARN-WAY: Speaking of backstops, the Bats added to their 25-man roster veteran catcher Ryan Lavarnway. The 31-year-old was dFA'd by the Reds on July 28, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Louisville. In 5 games for CIN, he batted .278 (5-for-18) with 2 doubles, 2 homers and 7 RBI. He went 3-for-4 with a double, 2 HR and 6 RBI in his Reds debut on July 19. The Bats will be his fifth IL club (PAW-GWN-IND-SWB).
WINNING MONTH: The Bats finished the month of July with a 15-12 (.556) record, their first above-.500 month of 2019 and their first since July 2018 (16-12, .571). The pitching was the difference for Louisville in the 27 games, recording a 3.77 ERA. Louisville and Gwinnett (3.73) were the only clubs in July whose team ERA was below 4.00. Coming into the month, the Bats' team ERA was 5.61.
NEVER OUT OF IT: Louisville earned its 20th come-from-behind win of the season last night, trailing 5-1 after four innings before winning 11-8. LOU had strong offensive performances from Rob Refsnyder, who went 3-for-6 with a double and homer in his first game off the IL, Narciso Crook, who went 3-for-6 with a double and triple, and Alex Blandino and Tromp, who both homered. Nick Longhi also tallied 3 hits in the win, with 10 different Bats getting in the hit column.
ON PACE TO SET TEAM HR RECORD: Louisville has now hit 143 home runs through 109 games, on pace for approximately 184 home runs, which would shatter the current club record of 166 homers hit by the 1999 RiverBats. Last season, LOU finished with 113 homers in 137 games.