Louisville Bats Notes: 8-4-19

Game 113, Home 57
Toledo Mud Hens (49-63) at Louisville Bats (47-65)
RHP Tejay Antone (2-6, 5.40) vs. RHP Kyle Funkhouser (1-5, 9.00)
2:00 PM | Sunday, August 4, 2019 | Louisville Slugger Field
LISTEN: Nick Curran & Jim Kelch, 790 KRD; iHeartRadio.com; iHeart app

TODAY'S GAME: The Bats have a Sunday rubber match against the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers after winning the opener by a 3-1 score Friday and dropping last night's contest by a 7-5 score. Louisville will try to win its third series in its last 4 tries, with right-hander Tejay Antone on the mound. For the fifth time this season, the Bats' offense will face University of Louisville product Kyle Funkhouser on the mound for Toledo.
AGAINST TOLEDO: With a win today, the Bats would win their first home series against Toledo since taking 2 of 3 from June 9-11, 2017. Toledo clinched at least a tie in the season series with the win last night, owning a 12-9 record against LOU with 3 games to play. Last night also marked LOU's 100th all-time loss against the Mud Hens at Louisville Slugger Field, with TOL also drawing within one game of .500 in the all-time series.
TRANSACTIONS: The Bats added LHP Tim Collins to the active roster today. In a corresponding move, LOU placed C Cassidy Brown on the 7-day injured list. Collins has made a combined 37 apps this season between Triple-A Iowa and the Chicago Cubs, last pitching in the International League for the Washington Nationals' Triple-A affiliate Syracuse last season.
GOOD CHRISTIAN: Infielder Christian Colón went 3-for-4 with a home run, stolen base and sacrifice fly on Saturday. He ranks fourth in the IL in hits (118), third in doubles (30) and second in stolen bases (21). He's also played in more games (109) than any other IL player this season.
- Colon is one of just of 3 players in professional baseball, levels A through MLB, with at least 30 doubles and 20 stolen bases in 2019. The other 2 are Ian Dawkins (Single-A Kannapolis, CHW) and Joshua Rojas (3 clubs, AA/AAA, HOU-ARI), who was involved in the Zack Greinke trade.
VERSATILE BRIAN: Center fielder/first baseman Brian O'Grady recorded his 16th stolen base of the season, ranking second on the team behind Colon. O'Grady has 27 doubles and 27 home runs for Louisville this season, one of just 3 players (Levels A-MLB) with those numbers. The other 2 are Pittsburgh's Josh Bell (34 2B/27 HR) and Minnesota's Max Kepler (27 2B/30 HR).
CLIMBING THE LADDER: Despite the 7-5 loss yesterday, the Bats are 14-9 since the All-Star break, 7-2 in their last 9 and 12-5 in their last 17 games, owning a 19-13 record since June 29. LOU has also swept 2 of its last 3 series, and has a chance to take 2 of 3 from the Mud Hens today. A win today would also mean LOU's won 2 straight home series, previously doing that once this season, taking 2 of 3 from Columbus and Indianapolis from June 28-July 3.
TROMP HR STREAK (BARELY) ENDS: Catcher Chadwick Tromp went 1-for-2 with an RBI double and 2 walks on Saturday, nearly hitting a home run for a sixth straight game. Though the streak is over, he is the first in RiverBats/Bats history (since 1999) to homer in 5 straight games.
- Over LOU's last 10 games, catchers are batting .406 (13-for-32) with 7 homers and 17 RBI. For reference, the 2018 Bats had just 5 HR from catchers over the entire season.
ON PACE TO SET TEAM HR RECORD: Louisville has hit 148 home runs through 112 games, on pace for 185 home runs, which would easily surpass the current club record of 166 homers hit by the 1999 RiverBats. Last season, LOU finished with 113 homers in 137 games.