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The Bats are awesome. Are you tired of this picture yet?
Deemed a danger to society and the rest of the International League, the Louisville Bats continue to roll in their quest to get back to the Governor's Cup Playoffs. Louisville, who is now a season-high 18 games over .500 (68-50), went into steel country this week and took three of four from the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (57-61), who are the top farm club of the world champion Philadelphia Phillies. It would take a Joaquin Phoenix-like meltdown for the Bats to not take their second straight division crown, as they are now 9.5 up on the second place Toledo Mud Hens with less than a month left in the season. This was an entertaining series, as all four games were close, and the final two matchups featured a combined 39 runs. Finishing this road trip at 6-2 has allowed Louisville to maintain their rightful spot atop the league standings as they start a six-game homestand at Slugger Field on Friday night.
Monday-Bats 4, Pigs 3: Reds' starter Micah Owings got the nod for the Bats in an injury rehab start, and he went 4.2 innings, giving up just one earned run. Kevin Barker broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth innning with a three-run dinger, his 22nd of the year. Barker, who has rewritten the Louisville record books during his years with the team, is now second in the league in big flies, and leads the team in most offensive categories. A quartet of relievers kept the lead after Owings reached his pitch count, as Lee Tabor got his second triple-A win in just his fourth career appearance. Four Bats had multi-hit games, including Barker and Chris Heisey.
Tuesday-Bats 2, Pigs 1: Louisville won their third straight in a pitcher's duel, as Travis Wood (2-1, 2.55) continued to shine since his getting his first triple-A call-up less than a month ago. Wood, who has allowed just one run or less in three of his four starts with the Bats, went six strong innings and scored the go-ahead run on Drew Stubbs' double in the seventh. Louisville got 13 hits on the night, including two from Wood, and a home run from Heisey that was his fifth of the season. Darnell McDonald had a big night in all facets, as he went 4-4 at the dish and registered two outfield assists from his perch in right field.
Wednesday-Pigs 10, Bats 9 (10): Fans in Allentown, PA were witness to a roller-coaster ride in this one as MLB journeyman Miguel Cairo hit a walk-off single in the tenth inning. Louisville rallied to take the lead three separate times, only to see a game-tying home run in the ninth by Lehigh Valley's Michael Taylor to send it to extra frames. What made the feat even more ridiculous was that Taylor's dinger helped him reach the cycle for the night. In the fifth, Louisville made its first comeback, turning a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead. Wes Bankston plated two runs in the rally with a bases-loaded double. With the Bats trailing 7-6, Heisey homered for the second consecutive night, a two-run job that put Louisville ahead. Despite Heisey and Bankston's 3 RBIs, the Bats couldn't finish the job, as they were also done in by three errors.
Thursday-Bats 12, Pigs 8: Another wild one concluded the series, as Louisville put up a four-spot in the eighth inning to run their record against the Pigs this year to 7-1. Players all over Louisville's lineup were getting in on the 15-hit offensive feast, as Luis Bolivar drove in a season-high four runs, and McDonald plated three. Barker and Danny Dorn also enjoyed multi-RBI nights, as starter Ben Jukich went 4.2 innings and got the no-decision. Tabor, Ramon Ramirez, and Enerio Del Rosario all shutout the Pigs in relief. Ramirez, who got the win, has looked sharp since moving to the bullpen, allowing just one run in seven games.
Louisville's six-game homestand will start with a 7:05PM first pitch against the Mud Hens. Matt Klinker (0-1, 4.00) will make his third career start in a Bats' uniform.
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