Louisville Bats come back against Toledo, avoid sweep

--By Mike Gilpatrick
--Photos by Jared Anderson

The Louisville Bats ended their third-to-last series at home by avoiding the sweep to the Toledo Mud Hens. They defeated the Tigers affiliate,  5-2. The game was won in comeback fashion. 

Jose Lopez had an interesting outing. He only allowed one run through his entire outing, but wasn’t sharp early. He walked the first batter of the game. In the second, he hit the leadoff hitter, and allowed two consecutive singles, one of which produced a run.
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After he allowed his first run, he settled down nicely. The pitcher finished with 6.1 innings of one-run baseball. He struck out two, while allowing six hits and two walks. His ERA dropped to 4.29.

Toledo’s first run, which was in the second, was an RBI single by Harold Castro, on a 2-1 count. He ripped a liner to left, plating across Daz Cameron.

Josh VanMeter tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. he ripped a single on a liner to right, scoring Nick Longhi. 

Cameron restored Toledo's lead in the top of the eighth. He hit a sacrifice fly deep enough to center to score Dixon Machado. 

The comeback happened in the eighth. An error by the pitcher tied the game: Toledo pitcher Hunter Cervenka fielded a ball with Brian O'Grady at bat, and threw it into the tarp. Then, a hit by pitch with the bases loaded and no outs gave Louisville the lead. 

VanMeter ripped a two-run single to put the game out of reach. he hit a ground ball between short and third. 

Louisville moves to 55-71. They hope to turn things down in their second-to-last home series, beginning tomorrow. RHP Keury Mella (2-1, 3.00) leads off the series with Indianapolis. RHP Tyler Eppler (12-6, 3.80) is the
starter for the Indians. The game will be at 7pm. 

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