The Louisville Bats fell behind early and couldn’t rally, ultimately suffering a 11-5 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field.
Darren McCaughan (L, 4-2) made his seventh start of the season for the Bats. He began the evening with a strikeout before surrendering a walk and a stolen base to Ronny Simon. Jhostynxon Garcia drove in the game’s first run with a double to left. The Indians scored two more with an RBI single from Enmanuel Valdez and a run-scoring double from Davis Wendzel to jump in front 3-0.
The Bats did little on offense in the first against Indians starter Hunter Barco (W, 2-1), quickly giving way to a solo shot from Nick Cimillo in the second, making it 4-0, Indians. It could have been worse, though, if not for Michael Toglia preventing a run with an inning-ending basket catch in shallow right field.
Ivan Johnson got the Bats on the board with a solo home run to straightaway center field, his eighth of the season. The Indians countered with another solo homer in the third off the bat of Esmerlyn Valdez to make it 5-1.
Sam Benschoter entered in relief of McCaughan in the fourth, retiring the side on three swinging strikeouts.
Esmerlyn Valdez hit his second home run of the game for Indianapolis in the fifth inning, a two-run blast to the opposite field. An RBI triple from the former-Bat, Wendzel, added another run to make it 8-1, but a deceptive pick off play from P.J. Higgins limited further damage.
The Bats tried to spark a rally in the home half of the inning with a bunt single from Edwin Arroyo, followed closely by a base hit from Noelvi Marte to position runners at the corners with two outs. A strikeout looking from Rece Hinds stranded the runners; it was the fifth time a Bats hitter was called out on strikes in as many innings.
Arroyo exited the game in the bottom of the seventh after fouling a ball off his leg. Michael Chavis replaced him and remained in the game at third base.
The Indians added three on their fourth home run of the game in the top of the ninth to increase their lead to 11-1.
Held scoreless for much of the night, the Bats loaded the bases in back-to-back innings. In the eighth, a strikeout and a double play left all runners stranded. In the ninth, Marte cleared the bases with a grand slam to bring the game’s final score to 11-5.
The Bats recorded seven hits in the game, with all runs scoring by way of the long ball. Marte led the way for the Bats offensively, going 3-for-4 with a walk and four RBI, highlighted by the big blast, his fourth homer of the season.
The Bats (25-18) continue their six-game home set against the Indianapolis Indians (17-26) on Saturday evening. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. at Louisville Slugger Field. Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will be on the call for Sports Talk 790 AM.