Author Archive for Danny
8/26 Lineup
Here is tonight’s lineup for the series finale with Lehigh Valley. Will there be more fireworks tonight? Yes, there will. Tonight after the game, enjoy post-game fireworks presented by Toyota.
Hesiey 7
Valaika 6
Francisco 5
Phipps 8
Hermida 9
Mesoraco 2
Dorn 3
Castro 4
Volquez 1
8/25 Pre-game Notes & Lineup vs. LHV
• MALONEY ON THE BUMP: LHP Matt Maloney makes his 12th start and 13th overall appearance for the Bats tonight. This is Maloney’s fourth career start and fourth overall appearance against LHV, and his first appearance at LSF. He is 2-0 against the Pigs, with a 4.58 ERA (17.2ip, 16h, 9er, 6bb, 14k). He last appearance against LHV was 5/21/10 (W, 6.0ip, 3h, 2er, 1bb, 2k). In his last start, he picked up the win, throwing 6.0ip scoreless, allowing eight hits while walking one and striking out three. Maloney has lasted at least 6.0 innings in his last 4 straight starts. He has 5 quality starts so far in 2011. Maloney has appeared in six games in Cincinnati including one start. He was 0-1 with a 7.20era. Maloney is the franchise leader in wins with 37, and strikeouts with 428. He also is the franchise leader in innings pitched with 502.1ip. This will also be his franchise-leading 85th start.
• CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR: The Bats played in their 45th one-run game of the season in last night’s 6-5 loss vs. LHV. They are now 20-25 in those contests. Their .444 winning percentage in those games is good for 11th in the IL. The 45 one-run games is also tied for the most in the IL with TOL and DUR. The next closest is NOR who has played 43 one-run games. In 2010, Louisville was 20-19 in one-run contests and the last time they finished a season under .500 in one-run games was in 2007 (22-28). The last time the Bats played at least 45 one-run games was also in 2007 when they played 50.
• DENIS THE MENACE: Since being called up from CAR on 7/23, OF Denis Phipps is hitting .360 (45-125) with 10 2b, 2 3b, 5hr and 19rbi in 31g. In August, he leads the team with a .367avg and also has a team-leading 33h and 90ab in the month. His 2 3b in August is tied with Kristopher Negron for the team lead, and his 5hr in August is tied with Jeremy Hermida and Juan Francisco for the team lead. Last night vs. LHV, Phipps went 3-for-5 with a 2b and 2r. It was his 15th multi-hit game and 6th three-hit game with the Bats.
Here is the lineup for tonight’s titanic struggle:
Negron 8
Valaika 6
Francisco 5
Phipps 7
Hermida 9
Mesoraco 2
Dorn 3
Castro 4
Maloney 1
8/24 Pre-Game Notes and Lineup vs. LHV
MESORACO’S MODERN LIFE:
- Bats C Devin Mesoraco had his 2nd four-hit night of the season in last night’s 10-3 win vs. TOL. He was 4-for-4 with a double, two home runs and 5 RBI. The double was his 36th of the season which is good for 2nd in the IL. It was his first multi-home run game of the season and the 2nd of his career (7/21/08 while with Dayton). It was the 5th time a Bats player has had a multi-home run game this season and the first time since Jeremy Hermida hit two in a game on 8/2 at PAW. The 5 RBI tied his career high for one game and it was the third time he has accomplished the feat this season. He had 5 RBI in a game on 4/13 at IND and 5 RBI in a game 6/3 vs. COL. It was the sixth time this season a Bats player had 5 RBI in game. In one night he raised his average from .286 to .293.
THOMPSON ON THE HILL:
- RHP Daryl Thompson makes his 13th start and 15th overall appearance for the Bats tonight. In his last start, he recorded a no-decision, going 6.0ip and allowing five hits and one earned run. Thompson has lasted at least 5.0 innings in his last 7 straight starts and his last 8 appearances. He has 7 quality starts so far in 2011. He made a relief appearance on 6/11 at LHV for his only outing this season against the IRON Pigs, lasting 4.0 innings and allowing 2 earned runs. In his career, Thompson has appeared in 3 games, including 2 starts and is 2-0 with a 2.12era. Thompson has appeared in one game in Cincinnait and has made 9 starts for Double-A Carolina in 2011. He was 0-1 with a 15.00era in one relief app on 5/26 with the Reds. He tossed 3.0 innings, allowed six hits and five runs, while walking five. In his nine starts in Carolina, Thompson was 1-4 with a 4.44era. Today will be his 26th career start with the Bats. He made seven starts in 2008, going 5-0 with a 2.76era and made six starts in 2009 posting a 1-2 record with a 6.59era before a shoulder injury ended his season.
THE JUAN FRANCISCO TREAT:
- Bats IF Juan Francisco was named the IL Player of the Week for the 8/15-8/22 week. In that time ranked first in the IL in Slugging (.958) and tied the IL high with 3 HR, 10 RBI and 12 hits. He was also second in the league with a .500 batting average and 3rd with a .520 on-base percentage. On 8/15 vs. IND, Francisco went 3-for-4 for his first of four multi-hit games during the week. The highlight of his week was on 8/20 at TOL when he went 3-for-5 with a 2B, HR and 5 RBI. It was the first time he has recorded 5 RBI in a game since he did so on 7/15/10 vs. LHV (2-for-4, HR, 5RBI). Francisco currently has a 8-game hitting streak and his average sits at .315, which is the highest it has been since it was .319 on 6/13. On 8/23, Francisco smacked his first triple of the season. It is his first triple since 7/31 of last season in a game vs. COL and the triple was the 17th of his career. In Francisco’s Louisville career he has appeared in 8 games vs. LHV and has a .273avg (9-for-33) with four home runs and 11 RBI over the course of three seasons (2009-pres).
Here is tonight’s lineup:
Negron 6
Valaika 4
Francisco 5
Phipps 8
Hermida 9
Mesoraco 2
Dorn 7
Costanzo 3
Thompson 1
Pictures of Batting Practice and Randomness
The Bats and MudHens play the final game of their four game series tonight at Louisville Slugger Field and it’s game two of six for the Bats at home this week. Don’t forget Lehigh Valley is in town starting tomorrow night for a four game series. Here are some photos from around the park on this beautiful Louisville summer day.
A panoramic shot of the best looking ballpark in the minors hands down.
The reigning IL Player of the Week showing off some leather.
Bats RHP Jerry Gil working on his jumper while shagging flyballs.
Volkie taking his turn with the ball bucket.
Michael Griffin jogs off the field to hit. Just after this a dance off broke out by the cage between Griffin and Kristopher Negron. Acutally not joking it really did.
CELEBRITY SIGHTING BELOW!!!
The man, the myth, the legend Bats radio announcer Matt Andrews relaxing before hitting the airwaves.
AND THE AWARD FOR GROUCHIEST CO-WORKER OF THE DAY GOES TO BDUB!!!
Brad Wagner aka B-Dub hard at work...working on yelling at me for taking his picture that is.
8/23 Pre-Game Notes and Lineup
BATS VS. THE HENS:
- The Bats return home to face Toledo for a brief two game set to wrap up their four game series. In 2011, the Bats are 11-9 against the Mud Hens, including 6-3 at Louisville Slugger Field. The Bats are batting .256 (174-678) with 91 runs (4.55rpg) and a 3.29 era vs. TOL this year. The Hens are hitting .257 (175-680) with 75 runs (3.75rpg) and a 4.46era. Chris Valaika has had success against TOL this season. He is hitting .339 (20-59) with 6 doubles and 3 RBI.
DOT, DOT, DOT:
- The Bats are 35-28 at home this season…Louisville is 43-42 in games played with DH in 2011…Bats starting pitchers have gone at least 6.0 innings in 6 straight starts and in 10 of their last 11 starts…Danny Dorn and Jeremy Hermida each have modest 4-game hitting streaks…Louisville is 4-46 when trailing after 8 innings…The Bats are now 51-9 when they out-hit their opponents (out-hit TOL 5-4 in last night’s 3-2 loss). ..The Bats stole 2 bases in last night’s game, it was the ninth time this season that has happened (last: 7/10 at IND).
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR:
- The Bats played in their 44th one-run game of the season in last night’s 3-2 loss vs. TOL. They are now 20-24 in those contests. Their .455 winning percentage in those games is good for a tie for ninth in the IL with TOL who is also now 20-24 in one-run games. The 44 one-run games is also tied for the most in the IL with TOL and DUR. The next closest is NOR who has played 42 one-run games. In 2010, Louisville was 20-19 in one-run contests and the last time they finished a season under .500 in one-run games was in 2007 (22-28). The last time the Bats played at least 44 one-run games was also in 2007 when they played 50.
CARROLL LOOKS TO STOP TREND:
- RHP Scott Carroll makes his team leading 25th start of the season for the Bats tonight. With 7.2ip tonight, Carroll can tie his career high for innings in a season at 147.1. His first strikeout tonight will tie his career high for strikeouts in a season with 82. A win in tonight’s game would be a new career high for wins with 8. In his last start, he got the win, snapping a personal 6-game losing streak by lasting 6.2 innings while allowing two earned runs on eight hits, with one walk and three strikeouts. Overall, he is 7-8 with a 5.41era. At home, he is 3-6 with a 5.22era and on the road he is 4-2 with 5.68era. The Bats are 9-15 when Carroll starts and have lost 9 or his last 10 starts. He tied a career high in wins at 7 with his victory on 8/18 at IND. He had 7 in 2008 with DAY (1) and SAR (6). In his 10 starts, he is 1-6 with a 7.21era (53.2ip, 43er). This will be his fourth start of the season vs. TOL and he is 1-0 with a 3.57era (17.2ip, 7er). Last season Carroll made four starts with single-A Lynchburgh and 20 starts with double-A Carolina. He was 1-2 with a 2.10 era with Lynchburgh and 3-9 with a 3.68 era with Carolina.
Here is tonight’s lineup:
Negron 8
Valaika 6
Francisco 5
Phipps 7
Hermida 9
Mesoraco 2
Dorn 3
Costanzo DH
Castro 4
Carroll 1
8/22 vs. IND Pre-Game Notes and Lineup
THE JUAN FRANCISCO TREAT:
- Bats IF Juan Francisco was named the IL Player of the Week for the 8/15-8/22 week. In that time ranked first in the IL in Slugging (.958) and tied the IL high with 3 HR, 10 RBI and 12 hits. He was also second in the league with a .500 batting average and 3rd with a .520 on-base percentage. On 8/15 vs. IND, Francisco went 3-for-4 for his first of four multi-hit games during the week. The highlight of his week was on 8/20 at TOL when he went 3-for-5 with a 2B, HR and 5 RBI. It was the first time he has recorded 5 RBI in a game since he did so on 7/15/10 vs. LHV (2-for-4, HR, 5RBI). Francisco currently has a 6-game hitting streak and his average sits at .309, which is the highest it has been since it was .310 on 6/14. In Francisco’s Louisville career he has appeared in 23 games vs. TOL and has a .307avg (27-for-88) with nine doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI over the course of three seasons (2009-pres). Francisco has a 4-game hitting streak against TOL.
VOLKIES BACK ON THE BUMP:
- RHP Edinson Volquez will make his eleventh start of the season tonight. In his last start, he got the win, tossing 6.1 innings, allowing ten hits and three earned runs, while walking one and striking out six in an 8-4 win at IND on 8/17. This will be his first start of the season vs. TOL. He has a quality start in 5 of his last 6 starts and 8 of his 10 starts with Louisville. Volquez tossed the first complete game of the season for the Bats on 7/22 vs. CHA, throwing all 9.0 innings, allowing 2 runs, 5 hits, walking 0 and striking out 9. Louisville is 5-5 in 2011 in games that Volquez starts. He made two starts with the Bats on 5/28 and 6/2 in which Louisville won both games before being re-called to Cincinnati on 6/7. After making 6 starts with Cincinnati following his call up, he was optioned back to Louisville on 7/7 and the Bats have gone 3-5 in his first eight starts back. Volquez was Cincinnati’s Opening Day starter and made 11 starts with the Reds before being optioned to Louisville for the first time in 2011 on 5/23. In 2010, Volquez came back from “Tommy John” surgery to make 12 starts with the Reds, including game 1 of the NLDS vs. PHI in which he only lasted 1.2 innings and allowed four earned runs.
LIVIN HERMIDA LOCA:
- Bats OF Jeremy Hermida hit his first triple of the season in last night’s 9-2 loss at TOL. It was his first triple since 2009 while a member of the Florida Marlins in a 5-0 FLA win vs. PIT on 7/5/09. Last night’s triple was his first minor league triple since 2007 while a member of the Jupiter Hammerheads in a 11-10 Hammerheads loss to Sarasota on 5/9/07. It was the 14th triple Hermida has hit in his minor league career and the 21st of his professional baseball career.
WEST LIFE:
- Against IL West opponents this year, the Bats are 32-21. They are 11-7 vs. TOL, 10-8 vs. IND and 11-6 against division leading COL. They are just 15-17 vs. the IL South and 20-24 vs. the North. Last season the Bats finished the year with a 32-32 record against the IL West even though they won the division. The last time the Bats finished over .500 against their own division was when they were IL West Champs in 2009 with a 41-22 interdivision record.
Here is tonight’s lineup:
Negron 6
Valaika 4
Francisco DH
Phipps 8
Hermida 9
Mesoraco 2
Dorn 3
Costanzo 5
Cook 7
Volquez 1
8/19 at IND Pre-Game Notes and Lineup
PHIPPS SHOW:
- Bats OF Denis Phipps’s had his 13th multi-hit game as a member of the Louisville Bats in last night’s 6-2 win at IND. That now marks 13 multi-hit games in 25 total appearances with the Bats, meaning he has had a multi-hit game in 52% of his games in Triple-A. It was also his 5th three-hit game with the Bats. His two-run shot in a game on 8/17 at IND tied his career high for home runs in a season with 12. He also hit 12 home runs in 2010 between stops in Lynchburg (8hr) and Carolina (4hr). He is now only 2 RBI away from tying his career mark of 57 after running his total to 55 for 2011 on 8/17 at IND. He had 57 RBI in 2008 when he spent the entire season at Dayton. Phipps is only one double away from tying a career high with 32 in a season after doubling two times in a game on 8/16 at IND. He set his previous career high last season between two stops in Lynchburg and Carolina. He had 10 doubles in Lynchburg and 22 in Carolina respectively.
GREAT SCOTT:
- In winning last night’s game at IND by a score of 6-2, the Bats snapped a 9 game losing streak when Scott Carroll was on the mound spanning from 6/23-8/8. In earning the win, Carroll also napped a personal 6-game losing streak that spanned from 6/28-8/8. The win also tied his career high for most wins in a season with 7 which he also accomplished in 2008 (Day-1, Sar-6). He is 6.2ip last night now give him 139.2ip this season which inch him closer to his career high in innings pitched in a season at 147.1ip which he set in 2010 (Lyn-30.0, Car-117.1). His three strikeouts last night now give him 81 this season which only puts him one away from tying his career high of 82 set in 2008 (Day-24, Sar-58).
THOMPSON ON THE HILL:
- RHP Daryl Thompson makes his 12th start and 14th overall appearance for the Bats tonight. In his last start, he recorded a no-decision, going 6.2ip and allowing nine hits and four earned runs. Thompson has lasted at least 5.0 innings in his last 6 straight starts and his last 7 appearances. He has 6 quality starts so far in 2011. Thompson has appeared in one game in Cincinnait and has made 9 starts for Double-A Carolina in 2011. He was 0-1 with a 15.00era in one relief app on 5/26 with the Reds. He tossed 3.0 innings, allowed six hits and five runs, while walking five. In his nine starts in Carolina, Thompson was 1-4 with a 4.44era. Today will be his 25th career start with the Bats. He made seven starts in 2008, going 5-0 with a 2.76era and made six starts in 2009 posting a 1-2 record with a 6.59era before a shoulder injury ended his season.
Here is tonight’s lineup:
Negron 6
Valaika 4
Francisco 5
Phipps 8
Hermida 9
Mesoraco 2
Dorn 3
Cook 7
Thompson 1
8/18 at IND Pre-Game Notes
FOUR TIMES THE FUN:
- For the first time in the month of August, the Bats have won 4-straight games. They had not won four straight since the beginning of July when they won four straight from 7/4-7/7. The last time they have won five games in a row was when they won a season high 8 games in a row from 5/30-6/6. This is the fifth time this season the Bats have had a winning streak of 4-games or more.
THE DORN SUPEMACY:
- Bats 1B/OF Danny Dorn hit his 15th home run of the season last night and the 42nd of his Bats career, tying him for 3rd on the Louisville All-Time list with Mike Calise. He has played the whole season with the Bats. His 61 RBI on the season puts him only two away from tying his career high in a season of 63 which he had 2008 between Chattagnooga and Sarasota. His 25 doubles put him only two away from tying his career high of 27 which he did in 2007 while with Chattanooga and Sarasota. He also had a career long 12-game hitting streak in 2011 that dated from 5/11-5/31.
WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS:
- The Bats bullpen currently has a 13.2 innings scoreless-streak that spans over the last 5-games. The last time a Bats reliever allowed a run was Jordan Smith in the 7th inning of a 5-4 loss on 8/13 vs. IND. Jeremy Horst and Nick Christiani closed out the final two innings with scoreless frames to start the streak. The Bats bullpen has not allowed a run in 15.2 out of their last 16 innings pitched and in 5 of their last 6 games.
BLAST OFF:
- The Bats blasted four home runs last night against the Indians. It was the first time this season Louisville hit at least four home runs in one game. The previous high had been three which was done 9 times with the most recent being 8/10 at TOL. In 2010, the Bats high mark was 5, which was done on 7/20/10 at CHA.
8/17 Pre-Game Notes
NOT THE HORST:
- Bats LHP Jeremy Horst is on quite a roll as of late. He has 7 straight outings without allowing a run, including a scoreless 1/3 of an inning on 8/16 at IND and has not allowed a run in 12 of his last 13 outings. Over this span his numbers are 1-0, 14.0ip, 6h, 1r-1er, 2bb-14k which is good for a 0.64era.
PHIPPS SHOW:
- Bats OF Denis Phipps is now only one double away from tying a career high with 32 in a season after doubling two times in last night’s game at IND. He set his previous career high last season between two stops in Lynchburg and Carolina. He had 10 doubles in Lynchburg and 22 in Carolina respectively.
THE DORN SUPEMACY:
- Bats 1B/OF Danny Dorn has played the whole season with the Bats. His 60 RBI on the season puts him only three away from tying his career high in a season of 63 which he had 2008 between Chattagnooga and Sarasota. His 25 doubles put him only two away from tying his career high of 27 which he did in 2007 while with Chattanooga and Sarasota. He also had a career long 12-game hitting streak in 2011 that dated from 5/11-5/31.
