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Kevin Barker sure is going to miss Louisville Slugger Field as the
team heads out for a road swing on Tuesday: he blasted four
home runs over the eight game home stand the Bats just finished.
After taking three of four from the Norfolk Tides to start their current homestand, the Louisville Bats split a four-game set against the Gwinnett Braves, winning the first and last games of the series to move their June record to a sizzling 14-5. Kevin Barker had his native american disrespect on display all series long, sinking the G-Braves with home runs in three of the four games. Louisville also got a lift in the series from two players who have been on the mend: Reds' third basemen Edwin Encarnacion and shortstop prospect Chris Valaika. In Monday's finale, Encarnacion, who is on injury rehab for a broken wrist, blasted a three-run homer, while Valaika put up three ribbys in the series after coming off the DL last Wednesday. Pitching prospect Homer Bailey continued to dish out his magic on Sunday, going seven strong innings to help the Bats take Gwinnett behind the woodshed in an 11-5 drubbing. Recaps below:
Friday-Bats 5, Braves 0: Bats' starter Sam LeCure (5-5, 5.11) was dealin' in the series opener, combining with Frederico Baez and Adam Pettyjohn on a four-hit shutout to give the Bats their fourth straight win. LeCure, who has now won his last three starts, worked 6.2 scoreless innings, giving up four hits and two walks while fanning five. Danny Dorn and Barker hit two-run homers in consecutive innings to push Louisville to a five-run lead and ensure the team its best record of the season, five games over the break-even mark (35-30). Dorn (9 dingers) and Barker (12 dingers) have been two of Louisville's constant power fixtures in the lineup all season long.
Saturday-Braves 7, Bats 3: Gwinnett played buzz kill on the Bats' four-game winning streak in this one, pulling away late away late after Louisville had made it a 4-3 game in the fifth inning. Bats' starter Ben Jukich (4-4, 5.94) got hit with six earned runs in six innings, allowing nine hits and two walks to go with six strikeouts. After seeing the G-Braves jump up 4-0, Valaika made his prescence known just days after coming off the DL. Fresh off a broken hand, Valaika lined a two-RBI single to make it 4-2 in the fifth, and Norris Hopper scored on an RBI groundout after stealing his 13th base to make it 4-3 in the sixth frame. Gwinnett played add-on down the stretch to make it 7-3 and ruin everyone's good time.
Sunday-Braves 6, Bats 3 (10): It took 10 innings to slay the Bats in game three of the set, as Louisville dropped to 1-5 in extra inning games this season when Gwinnett hung a trio of runs in the tenth to sink Louisville for the second consecutive evening. Valaika and Craig Tatum each drove in runs to put Louisville up 2-0 in the fourth, as starter Ramon Ramirez was crusing along through his first six innings. Bringing a shutout into the seventh, Ramirez ran into trouble, putting two men on base before giving way to reliever Pedro Viola, who had not allowed an inherited runner to score all year. The baseball gods were unkind to Viola on this night, however, as he couldn't get out of the inning before Gwinnett took a 3-2 lead. Barker continued his torrid stretch when he tied the game with a solo homer in the seventh. Over the eight-game homestand, the Bats' first basemen/designated hitter gave the Louisville fans five souveneir home run balls. After throwing a perfect ninth, Robert Manuel (3-3, 2.50) gave up the final-inning runs and was hit with the loss. Hard to throw any salt Manuel's way, however, as he has been lights out all season.
Monday-Bats 11, Braves 5: Two Louisville players who may be in Reds' uniforms before too long, Homer Bailey and Edwin Encarnacion, helped the Bats drill the G-Braves in the series finale. Bailey (7-5, 2.71), who has not lost in six starts, gave up just one earned run in seven innings, walking two and getting eight punchouts. The 23-year-old has been ridiculous in the month of June, giving up only two earned runs in 38 innings while winning all four starts. Louisville scored in each of the first five innings, quickly putting their foot on the Braves' throat and ensuring a series split. Darnell McDonald helped the Bats put up a season-best 11 runs by blasting two dingers on the night. McDonald, who was a 2008 Triple-A all-star for Rochester, had three hits on the night and now has five big flies on the season. In his second game with the Bats on injury rehab, Encarnacion blasted a three-run homer to bust the game open in the fifth inning. He walked once in three at-bats on Sunday in his first appearance since going on the DL April 28th. Luis Bolivar went big fly for the fourth time this season, and Barker went deep for the third time in the series, and 12th time this season. His recent power surge has moved him ahead of Wes Bankston (11) for the team's home run lead.
Louisville hits the road for Charlotte to play a four-game set against the Knights, starting on Tuesday. Matt Maloney (4-3, 2.00), who is back with the Bats after three starts in Cincinnati, will go for Louisville, while RHP Carlos Torres (5-4, 2.38) will throw for Charlotte. After the four games in Charlotte, the Bats will head to the ATL-area for a four-game grudge match against Gwinnett.
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