Bats Offense Stays Hot In 11-7 Win Over Omaha
The Louisville Bats defeated the Omaha Storm Chasers for a third straight night at Louisville Slugger Field on Thursday evening, winning 11-7. Jose Acuna made his second start of the season for the Bats, his fifth career Triple-A nod. He walked the first batter of the evening, but Dayne Leonard’s
The Louisville Bats defeated the Omaha Storm Chasers for a third straight night at Louisville Slugger Field on Thursday evening, winning 11-7.
Jose Acuna made his second start of the season for the Bats, his fifth career Triple-A nod. He walked the first batter of the evening, but Dayne Leonard’s strong throw to second caught the baserunner stealing. The Bats starter concluded a scoreless frame by striking out a rehabbing Vinnie Pasquantino.
Louisville’s offense followed up Wednesday'ss walk-off win with a first-inning run, after a leadoff double by Francisco Urbaez got the action started. Urbaez advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and came across to score on a sacrifice fly by cleanup hitter Will Benson, giving the Bats the early edge.
The Storm Chasers threatened to even matters in the second until, with runners positioned at the corners and two away, Leonard continued his strong start behind the plate by picking off the Omaha runner at third to end the inning.
Another Bats tally was added in the home half after Leonard loaded the bases with a bunt single, and Urbaez scored the lead runner on a fielder’s choice.
The Bats continued their string of runs in the bottom of the third when Garrett Hampson doubled to score Will Benson and Michael Chavis, both of whom reached base via walk.
Despite a tremendous diving grab by Austin Hendrick to record the first out of the fourth, Omaha rallied back in the inning to take a 5-4 lead. Acuna surrendered a three-run homer to Brett Squires, which tightened matters, before a two-run infield single by Andrew Velazquez gave the Storm Chasers a short-lived advantage.
Ke’Bryan Hayes evened the game the next half-inning on a run-scoring double, his second RBI of a current three-game rehab assignment.
Sam Benschoter (W, 4-5) entered in relief of Acuna in the fifth. He would go on to toss two scoreless frames with two strikeouts, earning the eventual win.
The Bats took the lead once more in the bottom of the fifth, marking their sixth consecutive inning of at least one run scored.
Hendrick led off the frame with a single, followed by a Hampson base on balls and Leonard’s second bunt single of the night, loading the bases with nobody out. Sam Haggerty scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice, and Hector Rodriguez notched his 60th RBI of the season on a hit-by-pitch. Hayes drove in another Bats run with his second sacrifice fly of the night, expanding the lead to 8-5.
Both sides went scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings, until the Storm Chasers drew a run closer in the top of the eighth on an Elih Marrero RBI single.
With the gap narrowed to 8-6, the Bats offense provided ever-important insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Last night’s hero, Chavis, increased his hitting streak to six games on an RBI single to score Hayes, who hit a ground-rule double to open the inning. Leonard and Haggerty each followed with a run-scoring single apiece to swell the lead to 11-6.
Omaha added a run in the top of the ninth, but it would not threaten the Bats victory. Louisville’s offense stayed hot behind a collective effort that saw seven of nine starters get at least one hit, and all but one collect a RBI.
Hayes doubled twice for his fourth extra-base hit in three games, while Hampson led all Bats hitters with three RBI.
The Bats (46-41, 7-7 2nd half) continue their homestand against the Omaha Storm Chasers (38-51) on Friday night. First pitch from Louisville Slugger Field is set for 7:15 p.m. ET. Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will be on the call for Sports Talk 790AM.