Janish Gets the Call as Kepp is Out

Louisville Courier Journal
By C.L. Brown

Louisville Bats shortstop Paul Janish was a bit surprised when manager Rick Sweet pulled him from last night's 5-3 victory over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees before he could bat in the eighth inning.
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"He kind of looked at me startled," Sweet said. "I said, 'Hey, you're going to the big leagues; I don't have time to play you here.' "

Cincinnati director of player personnel Terry Reynolds called Sweet's cell phone in the middle of the eighth and told him that Reds shortstop Jeff Keppinger was injured in last night's game against Florida and that Janish was the man to replace him.

"It's still setting in," Janish said. "It's kind of surreal."

The call-up came at a perfect time for the 25-year-old Houston native. It just so happened that his mother, Debbie, was at last night's game and was set to stay the entire week. His father, Tom, was scheduled to fly here from Houston on Friday.

After being pulled from the game, Janish immediately showered and joined his mother among the 7,348 in the Louisville Slugger Field stands to tell her the news. He also called his father.

"It came at a really good time," he said. "I feel good pretty much doing everything right now, which is ideal. That's half the battle. Hopefully, it will carry over."

Janish, a defensive wizard, will make his major league debut after hitting .293 with the Bats this season. In his last six games he was 9 for 20 with a homer and four RBIs.

"When he came up last year, he struggled at first offensively," Sweet said. "He's matured into a very good player. He deserves this. He's ready to go up there and play and help out."

The Bats made it four straight victories -- their longest winning streak this season -- as pitcher Adam Pettyjohn (4-0) remained perfect in his eighth start.

He had anything but a perfect first inning. He walked leadoff batter Brett Gardner, gave up a bunt single to Justin Christian, then hit Jason Lane to load the bases with none out. But Pettyjohn buckled down, allowing just one run.

The Bats took the lead for good with a three-run second. Janish and Drew T. Anderson had RBI singles, and Janish scored the third run on sheer hustle. When Gardner fell backward on the warning track in center field while catching Andy Green's drive, Janish tagged and scored all the way from second.

The Yankees loaded the bases with none out in the seventh, and reliever Tyler Pelland walked in a run. But Gary Majewski came on and got Christian to ground into a double play and Lane to fly out to center.

The Bats added an insurance run in the seventh on Jolbert Cabrera's triple off right fielder Matt Carson's glove and Jay Bruce's RBI single.