Louisville Bats 3, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)
The Hens’ offense just couldn’t break through in a close, well played game. The Bats bullpen won out, making it a 3-1 series lead for Toledo with two games left in the season.
Sawyer Gipson-Long got the start in this one, and produced one of his better efforts on the year. He issued a pair of walks in the second, but pitched out of traffic.
In the bottom of the second, Corey Julks singled and took third on a Cal Stevenson single. Seby Zavala chopped one to Michael Chavis at first, and the first baseman
fired home too late to get Julks. That was all the Hens would muster in this one, but they briefly held a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Gipson-Long gave up a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly that tied things at 1-1. Otherwise, Gipson-Long cruised through the sixth with just the lone run allowed.
Unfortunately, Yoniel Curet, one of the Tigers’ better relief prospects in the upper levels of the system, had a rough outing. He was wild in the top of the seventh, issuing two walks and throwing a wild pitch, as the Bats went on to score twice. That 3-1 lead held up.
Stevenson: 3-3, BB
Anderson: 2-4, K
Gipson-Long: 6.0 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 5:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday for the penultimate game of the Hens’ season.
The Erie SeaWolves begin the best-of-three Eastern League championship against the Reading Fightin Phils at home on Sunday afternoon.
