Jhonny Pereda had a huge day at the plate and Jose Barrero hit another home run for the Louisville Bats in an extra-innings loss on Thursday night. Chattanooga saw their season come to end in the first round of the playoffs, falling to in-state rival Tennessee.
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The Louisville Bats lost 7-6. Box Score
- Jacob Hurtubise went 1-5 with a walk and a run.
- Alejo Lopez (pictured above) went 2-4 with 2 walks and an RBI.
- Jason Vosler went 1-5 with a walk and an RBI.
- Jose Barrero went 1-4 with a walk, home run (18), and 2 runs.
- Jhonny Pereda went 4-4 with a walk, 2 doubles, run, and an RBI.
- Eric Yang went 2-5 with a run and an RBI.
- Miguel Hernandez went 1-5 with a run and an RBI.
- Christian Roa allowed 2 earned runs in 5.2 innings with 3 walks and 8 strikeouts.
- Ryan Nutof threw 1.1 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts.
- Alan Busenitz allowed 1 earned run in 2.0 innings with 3 strikeouts.
Game Notes
Louisville grabbed a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the 4th inning with a 4-run inning. But Iowa got those runs back in the 6th and 7th to tie it up. Both teams would score in the 9th to send the game into extras. Iowa was able to put a run on the board, but the Bats were unable to bring their free runner around. The loss dropped Louisville to 72-73 on the season with three games remaining. They must win all of them to have their first winning record since 2011.
Jose Barrero homered for the second straight game. He’s now homered in four of the last five games. The game in the middle there in which he didn’t homer was the day he went 4-4 with two doubles.
Jhonny Pereda was 0-14 in a 4-game span before Wednesday night. He picked up a hit and a walk in that game, then picked up four more hits and another walk on Thursday. He’s hitting .324/.401/.473 in 64 games this season with Louisville. His four hits on the night had exit velocities of 108.4, 106.6, 101.8, and 100.0 MPH.
Christian Roa has struck out 29 batters in his last 15.2 innings (three starts). He has, however, walked 13 batters in that same stretch.
Ryan Nutof has had an absolutely crazy last three months. In July he posted a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings and allowed six hits. During August he had an ERA of 19.89 and gave up 13 hits and walked 11 batters – and hitting two others – in 6.1 innings. This month he’s posted a 1.64 ERA in 11.0 innings.
Top Pitch Velocity: Christian Roa – 95.9 MPH (ball)
Top Exit Velocity: Jhonny Pereda – 108.4 MPH (single)
Furthest Hit Baseball: Jose Barrero – 388 feet (home run)
The Chattanooga Lookouts lost 5-1. Box Score
- Alex McGarry went 1-4 with a double and a run.
- Quincy McAfee went 2-4.
- Tyler Callihan went 1-4.
- Mat Nelson went 1-4.
- Jake Wong threw 3.0 hitless innings with a walk and 2 strikeouts.
- Jacob Heatherly threw 1.1 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts.
- Stevie Branche threw a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts.
Game Notes
The Lookouts were down 4-0 after the top of the 2nd inning. They scored their lone run of the night in the bottom of that inning when Alex McGarry doubled to lead off the inning and moved up a base on back-to-back ground outs. The loss ends the season for Chattanooga with a 1st round exit in the Southern League playoffs.
Jacob Heatherly didn’t walk a batter in the game. It was the first time he didn’t walk a batter in an outing since August 22nd (six outings between then and Thursday night).
Top 25 Prospects Rundown
9/22 Game Preview
| Team | Record | Time (ET) | Probable | Box Score | Listen | Watch |
| Louisville | 72-73 | 7:15pm | Mariot | Here | Here | Here |
| Chattanooga | 70-67 | Season | Complete | Here | Here | Here |
| Dayton | 67-65 | Season | Complete | Here | Here | Here |
| Daytona | 56-72 | Season | Complete | Here | Here | N/A |
| ACL Reds | 28-28 | Season | Complete | Here | N/A | N/A |
| DSL Reds | 28-26 | Season | Complete | Here | N/A | N/A |
Hate to see Lookouts and Bats limp to the finish line, but Reds we’re forced to essentially gut their rosters this season.
I’d definitely find a way to put Heatherly on the 40-man this off-season. Reds have some tough decisions coming.
I guess Chattanooga lost too many players to Louisville and Cincinnati to progress too far. It was an impressive list of promotions. As for Louisville, a losing record now looks likely. Oh well, maybe next year. Barrero? Hopefully, they trade him somewhere this off season where he gets the chance to start and play every day. Bell & the Reds sold him short following his surgery. He doesn’t have EDLC’s ceiling certainly but he’s better than most here assume. The with Stephenson.
At this point I am really not so concerned about the Bats being over .500, I’ll be more than happy just to break the streak of having a losing record. I’ll be fine with 74-74. With the pitching staff they have right now, I’d say Matt McLain on a 3 day rehab assignment is the only hope of avoiding another sub .500
Matt McClain playing for the Bats has no benefit to the Reds in the next 8 games, in my opinion. If he goes to Louisville, plays 3 games and goes 0-fer everything, then what? Don’t bring him up? For what is left of this season, and knowing his injury was a strain and not a fracture or a surgical injury, I either bring him up now or give him a list of what to work on this winter and send him home.
If he re-injures in these 8 games it doesn’t matter whether it happens in MLB or AAA, his season is done either way.
The only priority right now is winning as much as it takes to make the playoffs. If they make it, then worry about the playoffs, but not before making it.
Agree with the 2nd option, send him home with homework. Frankly, I’d do the same with EDLC and let Barrero finish out the last week of the season after Louisville finishes- maybe boost his trade value.
It was surprising to hear Sadek and Larkin the other evening talk about the Reds’ priority of building a winning culture in their minor league system, when we all have observed that this isn’t the case. Now Sadek has proven by his words that he doesn’t know much but I would have to think Larkin knows this isn’t true.
In contrast, listening to the Mariners’ announcers, they just call the game. No hyperbole, especially around data. They’re really just matter of fact. And, there are zero talking points fed to them to feed to us, like this example or the whole India/Stephenson Leadership Duo at the beginning of the year.
Some interesting decisions for many of the veteran players in Louisville that had productive AAA seasons. It’s doubtful any of them crack the 40 man roster.
Of Ramos, Martini, Reynolds, Chuckie Johnson, Lopez and Vosler who would you bring back?
I would only use a 40 man spot on Robinson, and I’d only do that if we don’t resign Maile. I like those other guys, but they are very replaceable. I think the 40 man roster is going to be packed with younger players.
Agree – TBH, aside from catchers (and I always hope a knuckleballer) there’s very little reason to have anyone past age 27 taking a 40-man spot over the winter.