Louisville Bats Notes: May 3

TIDES TURNAROUND: The Louisville Bats travel to Norfolk for a four-game series sandwiched between their three-game home series against Columbus in which they dropped two of three, and an upcoming 7-game homestand which will welcome the Indianapolis Indians and Toledo Mud Hens to Louisville Slugger Field from May 7-15.

AGAINST NORFOLK: The Bats will face off against Norfolk 10 times this season across three series, two at Harbor Park and one at Louisville Slugger Field. Norfolk and fellow IL South member Durham are the only out-of-division clubs that Louisville will meet for more than two series in 2018. Last season, LOU faced NOR 10 times, going 4-6 against the Tides, 1-2 at home and 3-4 on the road.
QUALITY START: Wednesday's quality start from right-hander Jackson Stephens (6.2ip, 5h, 2er, 2bb, 5k) wasn't enough to defeat Columbus, falling to the Clippers in the series finale by a 5-3 score in extra innings. It was just the fifth QS put together by a Bats pitcher this season, and the first since today's starter José López tossed one on April 22 vs. the Syracuse Chiefs.
EXTRA INNINGS LOSS: Louisville's 5-3 loss on Wednesday marked its fourth extra innings game of the season, falling 2-2 in extras this season, 1-2 at home. Each of the Bats' four extra inning ballgames have been exactly 10 innings. Under the new International League that allows teams to start extra innings with a runner second base, Nick Senzel has happened to start the inning on base in 3 of LOU's 4 extra innings games this season, including yesterday.
FIRST IS THE WORST: The Bats led 2-0 after the first inning of yesterday's game after Mason Williams and Nick Senzel opened the game with back-to-back doubles, followed by Sebastian Elizalde and D.J. Peterson RBIs. Louisville would give up the lead in the seventh, regain it on a Phil Gosselin sacrifice fly to take a 3-2 in the eighth, only to allow Columbus to tie it up again in the ninth on a Mike Papi solo home run off Bats reliever Jimmy Herget . COL won 5-3 in extras, dropping LOU to 5-8 on the season when scoring first. LOU's .385 winning percentage is last in the IL, a category which LOU finished last in 2017 with a 38-27 record (.585 winning percentage).
GO D.J.: Bats infielder/designated hitter D.J. Peterson has been on a tear recently, hitting safely in 8 straight ballgames, tied for the longest hitting streak by a LOU player this season with Nick Senzel. During his hit streak, Peterson has recorded 6 multi-hit games. He's also doubled in three straight, leading the Bats with 7 doubles on the season. His .333 batting average currently ranks seventh among qualified IL batters.
SCHOFIELD NAMED MANAGER: The Cincinnati Reds announced last Friday that Dick Schofield has been named interim manager for the Louisville Bats. Schofield, who was serving as Louisville's bench coach, replaces Pat Kelly , who managed the first 10 games of the 2018 season for Louisville, compiling a 4-6 record. Kelly was recently promoted to Major League bench coach for the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds also announced Darren Bragg will take over Schofield's previous role as Louisville's bench coach. Bragg is in his 12th season in the organization and was in his 10th as outfield coordinator at the time of his transfer to Louisville.