Eyewitness Report: The Bats’ 18-inning struggle

Ed. note: Please welcome Daniel Matthews to the Red Reporter staff! Daniel’s going to be providing us with more extensive coverage of the Louisville Bats, starting with this eyewitness report from last night’s ballgame.

The Bats and Clippers decided to play the equivalent of two games Friday night/Saturday morning. Eric Stamets stole and used Sweet Lou’s line “I’ve seen enough” in a different context and hit a go-ahead RBI single off second baseman Hernan Iribarren in the top of the 18th that scored Richie Shaffer and propelled Columbus to a 6-5 win. After starting 39 minutes late due to the rain (insert thumbs down emoji here), the 18-inning marathon lasted 5:35 (blah) and ended around 1:20 a.m. Saturday (YIKES!!). Here is a brief look at some of our beloved Redlegs’ farmers’ performances down in Triple-A Louisville.

Rookie Davis, SP

Rookie’s bid for a perfect game/no-hitter ended after Yandy Diaz’s two-out triple in the top of the first inning. He struggled in the second inning when he walked the bases loaded and gave up an RBI-single. The trainer also visited the mound in the second, but Davis appeared to be OK and didn’t throw any warm-up pitches. His final line: 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO. He threw 63 pitches (37 strikes).

Jesse Winker, DH

Winker went 1-for-6 with one walk, one strikeout and a run scored. Coming into Friday night’s game, he had a slash line of .301/.377/.376. There has been concern with his lack of power, as he has one home run on the season (that dinger was hit on May 12) and a .753 OPS.He knocked in the first Bats run of the night in the first when his single plated Phil Ervin. Later in the inning, he scored on Sebastian Elizalde’s hit.

Winker now has 15 hits in 34 at-bats against Columbus this season. Is that good? It’s no Eric Thames v. the Reds good, though…

Phil Ervin, LF

Ervin was 3-for-8 Friday night with three strikeouts and a run scored. He led off the bottom of the first with an opposite field single and scored on Winker’s single. On defense, Ervin showed off his arm when he threw out Clippers catcher Kratz at the plate to end the second inning when he tried to score from second base on a single by Ronny Rodriguez.

Peter O’Brien, 1B

O’Brien went 1-for-7 at the plate. His lone hit was a game-tying, two-run jack in the bottom of the eighth to knot the game at five. The Reds claimed him from the Royals on Tuesday after Brandon Finnegan was placed on the 60-day DL.

Barrett Astin, RHP

Astin pitched three innings of relief after Davis’s early exit. He struck out seven and gave up three runs (two earned).

Jackson Stephens is the probable starter on Saturday night for the Bats. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.