The Louisville Bats received stellar pitching and timely offense to win their first game of the series 3-1 against the Toledo Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field on Friday evening.
Darius Vines got the nod for his first start in six appearances with the Bats after the Reds called up scheduled starter Julian Aguiar earlier Friday afternoon.
After a scoreless first, Louisville threatened in the top of the second when Michael Chavis was hit by a pitch and Leo Balcazar walked. Toledo’s starter Sawyer Gipson-Long worked out of the inning by forcing P.J. Higgins into a double play.
The Mud Hens scratched across a run on two hits and a fielder’s choice RBI in the home half. Chavis fielded a ground ball in front of first base and tried to cut down the advancing runner at home, but the defensive play was unsuccessful.
Garrett Hampson led off the third with a single and, as the lineup turned over, Edwin Arroyo collected a base hit to place runners at the corners with one out. Orlando Arcia quickly sent the first pitch of his at-bat deep enough into right field to score the run and tie the game 1-1.
Vines’ third and final inning saw him work around two runners in scoring position to collect his second and third strikeouts of the night.
Louisville went without a baserunner in three consecutive innings across the fourth, fifth, and sixth. In that stretch, five Bats grounded out, two struck out, and another two flew out in a dominant stretch for Toledo’s right-handed starter.
Jared Lyons provided 2.2 effective innings of relief over the same span, striking out three and allowing four hits. Despite the traffic on base, Louisville played strong defense with two meaningful plays in left field by Will Benson: the first a 7-4-3 double play to end the fifth, and the second a sliding catch to open the following inning.
Anthony Misiewicz (W, 3-3) recorded a strikeout to strand two inherited runners, keeping the game tied through six innings.
A four-pitch walk to lead off the seventh for Chavis represented the first Bats’ base runner in eleven plate appearances. Toledo reliever Yoniel Curet (L, 0-2) then uncorked a wild pitch, and Chavis’ fourth stolen base of the season placed the go-ahead run on third with no outs.
One batter later, Balcazar delivered his team’s third hit of the game on an RBI single to give the Bats their first lead. Dominic Pitelli added a sacrifice fly RBI with the bases loaded to extend the advantage to 3-1.
Misiewicz and Cam Cotter combined to strike out four of six Mud Hens in scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
Noelvi Marte and Benson drew walks in the eighth, but the Bats could not add to their two-run lead.
Hunter Parks struck out two and collected his 11th save of the season to close the victory in the bottom of the ninth. In total, five Bats pitchers combined to strike out 13, as the Mud Hens were shut out in the final seven innings of the game.
Balcazar’s 17th RBI of the season represented the game-winning swing in the seventh, with Arcia and Pitelli delivering the other two RBI.
The Bats (65-81, 26-47 2nd half) play their penultimate game of the season against the Toledo Mud Hens (72-74, 38-34 2nd half) on Saturday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. Nick Curran will be on the call for Sports Talk 790AM.