LOUISVILLE — Jean Luc Blaquiere slugged two home runs and Mike Jacobs smacked another to lead the Buffalo Bison (New York Mets) to a 6-1 win over Bryant’s Travis Wood and the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds) in Class AAA International League play on Thursday night before a crowd of 7,649 at Louisville Slugger Field.
Wood dropped to 1-4 for the Bats and his earned run average rose to 5.10 as he gave up six runs, all earned, on eight hits with four walks to two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.[more]
Wood worked three scoreless innings before Blaquiere hit a three-run shot with two down in the top of the fourth. In the fifth, there was one out when Jacobs followed a single by Jesus Feliciano with a home run to make it 5-0.
The sixth inning began with a groundout before Blaquiere hit a solo shot. After Wood walked opposing pitcher Tobi Stoner, he gave way to reliever Ben Jukich.
The lefty is in his first full season at the AAA level after putting together a record-setting campaign in 2009 for the Carolina Mudcats. He was in the running for the fifth starter spot on the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation after a solid spring with the big club but was beat out by Mike Leake, the Reds’ first round draft pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft in June.
The three home runs in Thursday’s game brings his total to seven allowed in seven outings this season. In 42 1/3 innings, he has allowed 39 hits, 12 walks and a .238 opponents’ batting average while striking out 41.
So far this season, the Bats are 13-21.
