Louisville Bats Notes: June 30

BATS FALTER FROM FIRST INNING: Louisville dropped the second game of a four-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens by an 8-4 score. Left-hander Cody Reed allowed 7 runs in the first inning, but managed to settle down after, giving the Bats 7.0 innings of work. D.J. Peterson hit his team-leading ninth home run of the season, and Mason Williams clubbed a two-run homer of his own.

AGAINST TOLEDO: Louisville and Toledo meet for the fifth of eight total series this season, and the third of four at Fifth Third Field. The Bats won their last series against the Mud Hens about a week and a half ago at Toledo, their first road series win of the season. Through 14 matchups, the Hens are 9-5 against the Bats, outscoring them 71-57 and outhomering them 21-8 despite the Bats outhomering the Hens 2-0 last night. Toledo's 3-2 win in the series opener was its 200th all-time victory over Louisville.
DON'T WANNA BE FACIN' MASON: Leadoff hitter Mason Williams started Friday's game with a single, his sixth straight game out of the top spot in the batting order in which he's led off the game with a hit. Since June 23, Williams is batting .500 (12-for-24) with 12 runs scored, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 6 RBI, 3 walks and 2 stolen bases, with his 1.389 OPS ranking third-best in the IL in that span behind only DUR's Brandon Lowe (1.653) and COL's Francisco Mejía (1.395).
BURST WHEN BATTING FIRST: Bats leadoff hitters have proven to be an excellent catalyst for the offense in the month of June. Louisville has employed 4 different leadoff hitters in the month: Nick Senzel (11 games...started 12, but batted in 11), Mason Williams (6), Dilson Herrera (5) and Hernan Iribarren (4). Josh VanMeter came in as a substitute for Williams Wednesday night in the leadoff spot. Out of the top spot in the batting order in June, the quartet has hit safely in 25 of 26 games, and reached base safely in all 26. They, VanMeter included, are batting a combined .454 (49-for-108) with 27 runs scored, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 23 RBI, 12 walks and 4 stolen bases.
GOODNIGHT JUNE: The Bats will play their final game in the month of June, currently owning a 13-13 record in the month coming into play Saturday. With a win tonight, LOU would have its first calendar month with a record above .500 since May 2016, when the Bats went 16-14.
IN THE BIG INNING: The Mud Hens scored 7 runs in the bottom of the first in Friday's opener, the most runs allowed by the Bats in an inning this season. It was the most runs allowed since September 1, 2017, when the Columbus Clippers scored 8 runs in the sixth inning in a 10-1 game at Huntington Park. Seven runs were the most surrendered by the Bats in the first inning of a game since Indianapolis scored 7 runs, all off LOU starting pitcher Wendolyn Bautista , in an 8-6 Indians win on August 31, 2017.
QUACKENBUSH, RAINEY NAMED IL ALL-STARS: Bats right-handed relief pitchers Kevin Quackenbush and Tanner Rainey were named to the International League's 2018 All-Star Team in the Triple-A All-Star Game that will be played at Columbus' Huntington Park on July 11.
-Quackenbush has made 22 appearances for Louisville this season, allowing just two runs (one earned run) in 22.2 innings of work, a 0.40 ERA. He's recorded 9 saves in 10 opportunities, tied for 4th in the International League in saves. He has walked just 2 and struck out 26, with his 13.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio leading the IL (min. 20 IP).
-Rainey has made 24 appearances for Louisville this season, owning a 1.63 ERA (5er/27.2ip) with 2 saves. He's walked 21 and struck out 42, with a 3-1 record. He's allowed opposing hitters to bat just .135 (12-for-89) against him, ranking second in the IL (min. 25 IP).