By C.L. Brown, The Courier-Journal
Deion Sanders and Chris Sexton provided quite a 1-2 punch as the Louisville RiverBats knocked out Columbus 11-8 yesterday to complete a season-opening four-game sweep.
Before a crowd of 7,489, the RiverBats improved to 12-0 against the Clippers at Louisville Slugger Field, which opened last year.
Sanders, making his season debut with the team, went 2 for 5 with two triples and scored three runs. Sexton had six RBIs -- his first ones of the season -- including a three-run homer that swung the game's momentum back in the RiverBats' favor.
Sanders spent last fall as a starting cornerback for the Washington Redskins, but his return to the diamond looked nothing like his stint last season. He began the game with a triple to right field and showed off the speed for which the Cincinnati Reds acquired him. An injured right ankle hampered Sanders last season.
''I was a lot more injured than I let on,'' Sanders said. ''I had a football mentality that things were going to get better, that the pain would go away.''
It never did. And Sanders batted just .200 in 25 games.
''People that saw him last year didn't see him 100 percent,'' RiverBats manager Dave Miley said. ''He showed today what a Deion Sanders can do at 100 percent. If he gets on base he's going to make some things happen for us. The guy's a special athlete.''
Sanders is ineligible to be called up by Cincinnati until May 1. He said his focus now is getting quality at-bats, but his presence in the lineup gives the RiverBats more options. With Sanders batting lead-off, it allowed Miley to bump Sexton to No. 2 in the order, a move the shortstop relished.
''It plays to what I do best,'' Sexton said. ''With a guy like Deion here, he's obviously going to be the lead-off with the havoc he creates with all his speed and the different things he does. It makes my job a lot easier.''
Sexton, who went 2 for 4, looked at ease while recording two RBIs in his first two at-bats. His biggest swing came at a most crucial time.
His team trailing 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh, the RiverBats' Raul Gonzalez hit his second double of the game to ignite a rally. Gonzalez, who went 2 for 4, scored when Chris Sheff singled to right. Sanders bunted and reached on an error by pitcher Brandon Reed, then Sexton tied the score at 8 with a three-run homer.
Brady Clark kept the RiverBats' momentum going, reaching base as his line drive ricocheted off Columbus shortstop Erick Almonte. Clark later gave the RiverBats the lead for good, scoring when Bill Selby hit into a fielder's choice.
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