Bats Drop Defensive Battle Against Nashville 3-2
The Louisville Bats saw another game end in heartbreaking fashion against the Nashville Sounds. A late inning pitching blunder was the deciding factor in the 3-2 loss on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park. Both games in the series so far have been 3-2 finals in favor of the Sounds
The Louisville Bats saw another game end in heartbreaking fashion against the Nashville Sounds. A late inning pitching blunder was the deciding factor in the 3-2 loss on Wednesday night at First Horizon Park.
Both games in the series so far have been 3-2 finals in favor of the Sounds and have seen defensive masterclasses from both sides.
Nashville got on the board first with two quick runs in the bottom of the second inning. Two singles off Bats starter Ben Wereski put the Sounds up very quickly 2-0. Those singles were hit by Tyler Black, the hero who hit a walk off double in the opening game of the series, and Ramón Rodríguez. A diving play at third by Leo Balcazar would prevent any more runs from scoring in the inning.
Louisville fired right back by scoring one run thanks to a Noelvi Marte triple in the top of the fourth. Michael Chavis drove him in moments later with a ground out, and the Bats cut the lead in half to make it 2-1 through four innings.
One inning later, Francisco Urbaez hit a bloop single that scored another run, tying things up for Louisville at 2-2
Wereski’s day wrapped up after going 5.0 innings. He allowed the two runs in the second inning. However, he was on point the rest of the night, allowing five hits and striking out five batters in his effort.
Graham Ashcraft worked a clean sixth, and Chase Petty did the same in the seventh for the Louisville to keep things knotted up at two.
Coleman Crow, the Sounds starter, exited the game after 7.0 innings. He allowed two runs on nine hits and struck out four batter. Garrett Stallings (W, 4-4) took his place for the top of the eighth inning and worked a clean frame for Nashville.
In the bottom of the eighth, Connor Phillips (L, 2-2) took the mound, and after getting one out he hit Eduardo Garcia to put him on first. Garcia stole second, then tagged up on a fly out to right to get to third. Phillips threw a wild pitch that got past the catcher, and Garcia scored, giving Nashville a 3-2 lead going into the top of the ninth.
The Bats would end up going scoreless in the ninth and would drop their second game of the series to the Sounds 3-2. Stallings claimed the win for Nashville for his 2.0 innings of relief work in Crow’s stead, and Phillips was saddled with the loss for letting up the go-ahead run in the eighth.
Louisville out hit Nashville 10-5 in the game, however timely hitting was the key to the Sounds win. Through two games, the Bats have outhit the Sounds 19-9, but have dropped both.
The Bats (58-74, 19-40 2nd half) continue their bout with the Sounds (73-60, 30-28 2nd half) on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:35 pm EST. Nick Curran will be on the call on Sports Talk 790.