Vosler Records Career High Five Hits as Bats fall 17-11

DURHAM, NC – Jason Vosler tallied five hits on the night, leading an 18-hit team effort that ultimately wasn’t enough as the Louisville Bats (70-67) dropped game one to the Durham Bulls (81-58) 17-11 on Tuesday night.

[Box Score]

Jacob Hurtubise opened the game for the Bats with a lead off single, moving to second in the following at-bat. Jason Vosler put Louisville on the board in a hurry, poking a single of his own into right field, scoring Hurtubise for a 1-0 lead. In the next at-bat, Henry Ramos lined a double to the wall in right field to put two runners in scoring position with one out, followed immediately by Matt Reynolds with a double of his, clearing the bases and extending the Bats lead to 3-0. Jhonny Pereda kept the rally alive, lacing the fourth straight base hit of the inning to center field to score Reynolds as Louisville kicked off the game with a 4-0 lead.

Durham answered quickly, notching seven runs of its own in the home half of the first, tallying three hits, four walks and a hit batter in the frame to take a 7-0 lead.

After a 31-minute rain delay, the Bats went back to work in the second. With two outs in the frame, Reds rehabber Kevin Newman drew a walk before Vosler roped a double into left field to put two men in scoring position. Ramos followed with a walk to load the bases for Reynolds who singled in two more runs, cutting the deficit to just one run, down 7-6.

The Bulls broke the game open soon after, scoring five runs in the third before putting up another five runs across the next three innings, taking a commanding 17-6 lead.

Louisville began to rally in the eighth. With Hurtubise on base for the fourth time in the game thanks to a one out walk, Vosler stepped to the plate and launched a two-run shot to right field, inching the Bats closer, still down 17-8. The home run was Vosler’s 19th of the season and the club’s 200th, marking the first time in franchise history the Bats have recorded 200 homers in a single season.

The rally continued in the ninth as the Bats took advantage of a Durham position player on the mound, moving station to station to score three runs on six hits and a walk but would ultimately leave the bases loaded and fall to the Bulls 17-11.

Louisville and Durham will play game two of the six-game series tomorrow, Wednesday, September 13. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 pm E.T. at Durham Bulls Athletic Park as righty Alec Mills (0-2, 6.43) will take the mound for the Bats, facing off against lefty Mason Montgomery (0-0, 1.80) on the hill for the Bulls.