04/05/08: Double Trouble

After Friday's rainout, the Syracuse Chiefs and Louisville Bats played a doubleheader Saturady at Alliance Bank Stadium. While both games were scheduled for seven innings, the first game ended up going awhile longer. Syracuse started off spotting the Bats a 2-0 lead in the second inning, after Russ Adams lost a Jolbert Cabrera fly ball in the sun during the second inning with Andy Phillips already on, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Chiefs starting pitcher, Josh Banks was able to strike the next two batters out, however Ryan Hanigan didn't let the Banks off the hook by hitting a two run single. Syracuse tied it up in the third as Wayne Lydon and Joe Inglett both scored in the four hit inning. The Chiefs took the lead on another Wayne Lydon run in the fourth inning. That run brought the end to Bats' starter Matt Maloney's day. The lead would not last, as Louisville took advantage of an error, infield single, and finally Jerry Gil's RBI single that brought home Jay Bruce to tie the game. Syracuse threatened in the bottom half of the inning, with two singles to lead off the inning. A fly out, followed by an inning ending line drive double play killed that rally. Sergio Santos was caught snoozing as he was easily doubled up on the play. Both teams threw numerous pitchers out and were able to keep the opposing offenses off the board until the top of the 11th. At that point, Bubba Nelson (L, 0-1) was brought into the game. Looking nervous and wild before even throwing his first official pitch, things took a turn for the worse. After issuing a walk and a sac bunt, Jerry Hairston took Nelson to center field. A lundging Wayne Lydon came up well short of the ball, which rolled to the wall for a triple. Hairston then scored on a wild pitch, ending the scoring in game one. Marcus McBeth got the win (W, 1-0) for Louisville by the score of 5-3.

Game two would be even worse for the Chiefs. The first four innings were quiet, as only one hit was given up. In the fifth, the Bats were able to strike against Chiefs starter Kane Davis (L, 0-1). After beating out the back end of what could have been an inning ending double play, Bats' outfielder Chris Dickerson was able to steal second, then score on catcher Alvin Colina's single to take a 1-0 lead. They made it 2-0 in the sixth as Adam Rosales brought home Phillips on a sac fly. Some of the fifty or so fans who were left during game two (at most a hundred were there to start the second game) became upset in the bottom of the sixth inning, as they were unable to watch history. This was because Louisville starter, Tom Shearn (W, 1-0), was pulled after five innings of no hit ball. Tyler Pelland came in to relieve him, keeping the Chiefs hitless after six. After adding two insurance runs in the seventh, Louisville brought in Ricky Stone to finish the game off. There was to be no combined no hitter this night, as Russ Adams took Stone over the right field wall to put the Chiefs on the board, for their only run and only hit. Louisville sweeps the doubleheader, winning game two, 4-1.


Jerry Hairston left the game in the fourth inning of the second game with an apparent leg injury. I spoke with him after the game and he seemed in good spirits. It looked as though it was just a cramp on the field, and he seemed to be walking fine after the game.

This doubleheader felt a lot like one that occurred during the series with Louisville last year. Beau Kemp was the one blowing the game.

Sunday finishes the series, as Davis Romero makes his comeback from the injury that sidelined him all of last year.