Bats Walk Off Braves in 11

LOUISVILLE, KY – The Bats walked off the Gwinnett Braves last night 3-2 to complete the three-game sweep, its first series-sweep of the season. Sebastian Elizalde delivered the game-winning hit that scored Beau Amaral in the bottom of the 11^th inning.

Here are some snapshots of how a few of our Triple-A Boys of Summer did Thursday night.

Jesse Winker, RF

His May was Mr. Red’s Smokehouse Hot, as our own Wick Terrell discussed here and Tony Wolfe discussed here. Go read those.

Of course, as these things always work out, Winker’s first game in June was anything but Mr. Red’s Smokehouse Hot. He went 0-for-5. And if the stat meant much in the grand scheme of analytics and a player’s value, the worst part of the night is that he went 0-for-3 with RISP. But sample sizes. And meaningful stats.

Dilson Herrera, 2B

Herrera came into the game with, what some might categorize, a less than “meh” slash line of .228/.285/.336, but his defense continues to impress. Herrera made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle and threw out the runner to start the third inning. The play was close. Let’s just say that if there was replay in the International League, the last couple sentences would be irrelevant.

He also made a diving stop to his right and flipped the ball with his glove to the shortstop to start a 4-6-3 double play to end the top of the 10^th. His lone hit was a one-out, line-drive single that started the game-tying rally in the eighth. He also struck out to end the ninth inning with runners on first and second.

Phil Ervin, CF

Ervin tied the game at two when his ground rule double scored Herrera and Zach Vincej in the eighth.

Sebastian Elizalde, LF

Elizalde had the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 11^th inning.

He also tried to sacrifice bunt after Stuart Turner led off the ninth with a single. He popped up to the catcher in foul territory. Let’s all say “woo” for bunting.