04-22-2012, 08:03 PM
The Louisville Batsâ Thunder over Louisville matinee is one of the most anticipated baseball games of the year. The struggling team wasnât able to provide any early fireworks yesterday.
The Bats lost 9-1 to Indianapolis before an announced sellout Louisville Slugger Field crowd of 13,131. They have dropped five in a row for their longest slide since losing five straight last July. Louisville (5-12) hoped for better luck after being swept at home by Toledo. But instead it suffered its worst defeat of the season and didnât score until the eighth inning.
It has been a tough start for first-year manager David Bell.
âItâs always difficult when youâre not winning games,â he said. âItâs not as much fun. The thing is, is that when things arenât going your way either personally or as a team thatâs really the time you get better as a team and individually. Thatâs the only way to approach it. It sounds simple and it can be difficult. If you do that, good things happen.â
Louisville mustered just four hits â three being singles â and when Corky Miller scored on a groundout, that snapped a 14-inning scoreless streak.
âWeâre kind of slow right now,â said outfielder Denis Phipps, who was 2 for 4 to raise his batting average to .167. âWe have a lot of people struggling. Weâre trying to swing the bats like we normally do. But weâre going to get it done.â
Not even Louisvilleâs best starting pitcher could save the Bats on Saturday.
Jeff Francis entered with a 3.18 ERA but surrendered five runs â four earned â in five innings. The left-hander had given up just two runs in each of his previous three starts.
The Indians got two runs in the third, fourth and another in the fifth. They picked up two more in the seventh against reliever Carlos Fisher to go ahead 7-0. That was more than enough. The Bats would have tied a season low in hits if not for Phippsâ ninth-inning leadoff single.
In the third, the first two Indianapolis batters reached and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice by Jo-Jo Reyes (2-0). Starling Marte followed with a two-run single to put the pressure on the Bats, who have only one come-from-behind victory.
In the fourth, Jeff Clement doubled and Jordy Mercer reached on a fielding error by shortstop Paul Janish. A wild pitch by Francis moved the runners over, and Brandon Boggs doubled them both home. The Indians got a fifth-inning RBI single from Matt Hague to go-ahead 5-0 against Francis (1-2).
âI didnât see anything different,â Bell said. âBecause of the wind there were some crazy fly balls today. That probably cost him a little bit.â
The crowd had little to cheer about until the eighth when Miller stole second. It was only the 19th minor league steal for the veteran catcher. Miller scored on Daryl Jonesâ groundout to prevent a shutout.
âItâs a challenge,â Bell said of the skid. âItâs a test. Unfortunately, itâs part of the game, but thatâs what makes it great. Because when you turn it around, thatâs what it is all about.â
Today Sean Gallagher (0-2, 13.03) will oppose Indianapolis left-hander Rudy Owens (0-0, 4.50).http://www.courier-journal.com/section/sports
The Bats lost 9-1 to Indianapolis before an announced sellout Louisville Slugger Field crowd of 13,131. They have dropped five in a row for their longest slide since losing five straight last July. Louisville (5-12) hoped for better luck after being swept at home by Toledo. But instead it suffered its worst defeat of the season and didnât score until the eighth inning.
It has been a tough start for first-year manager David Bell.
âItâs always difficult when youâre not winning games,â he said. âItâs not as much fun. The thing is, is that when things arenât going your way either personally or as a team thatâs really the time you get better as a team and individually. Thatâs the only way to approach it. It sounds simple and it can be difficult. If you do that, good things happen.â
Louisville mustered just four hits â three being singles â and when Corky Miller scored on a groundout, that snapped a 14-inning scoreless streak.
âWeâre kind of slow right now,â said outfielder Denis Phipps, who was 2 for 4 to raise his batting average to .167. âWe have a lot of people struggling. Weâre trying to swing the bats like we normally do. But weâre going to get it done.â
Not even Louisvilleâs best starting pitcher could save the Bats on Saturday.
Jeff Francis entered with a 3.18 ERA but surrendered five runs â four earned â in five innings. The left-hander had given up just two runs in each of his previous three starts.
The Indians got two runs in the third, fourth and another in the fifth. They picked up two more in the seventh against reliever Carlos Fisher to go ahead 7-0. That was more than enough. The Bats would have tied a season low in hits if not for Phippsâ ninth-inning leadoff single.
In the third, the first two Indianapolis batters reached and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice by Jo-Jo Reyes (2-0). Starling Marte followed with a two-run single to put the pressure on the Bats, who have only one come-from-behind victory.
In the fourth, Jeff Clement doubled and Jordy Mercer reached on a fielding error by shortstop Paul Janish. A wild pitch by Francis moved the runners over, and Brandon Boggs doubled them both home. The Indians got a fifth-inning RBI single from Matt Hague to go-ahead 5-0 against Francis (1-2).
âI didnât see anything different,â Bell said. âBecause of the wind there were some crazy fly balls today. That probably cost him a little bit.â
The crowd had little to cheer about until the eighth when Miller stole second. It was only the 19th minor league steal for the veteran catcher. Miller scored on Daryl Jonesâ groundout to prevent a shutout.
âItâs a challenge,â Bell said of the skid. âItâs a test. Unfortunately, itâs part of the game, but thatâs what makes it great. Because when you turn it around, thatâs what it is all about.â
Today Sean Gallagher (0-2, 13.03) will oppose Indianapolis left-hander Rudy Owens (0-0, 4.50).http://www.courier-journal.com/section/sports