Bats Blank Mud Hens 3-0 in Game One Victory
IL Louisville Bats

Bats Blank Mud Hens 3-0 in Game One Victory

Published on September 9, 2025 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


TOLEDO, Ohio - The Louisville Bats stayed hot on the road Tuesday night, shutting out the Toledo Mud Hens 3-0 to take the first game of the six-game series. Louisville has now won ten consecutive games and 14 of its last 15 dating back to August 23.

The Bats came out swinging against Toledo starter Troy Watson (L, 3-1), loading the bases on a walk by Edwin Ríos and a single from Rece Hinds. Despite the early traffic, Louisville couldn't capitalize and came up empty on the scoreboard.

T.J. Sikkema (W, 2-0) got the start for the Bats and looked strong again in his third start for Louisville. He retired the six of the first seven batters he faced.

Louisville broke through against Watson in the third on a leadoff 419-foot solo home run by Blake Dunn.

Sikkema continued his strong performance and recorded two hitless, scoreless innings in the third and fourth.

The Bats found their rhythm again in the sixth to extend their lead. After a quick first out of the inning, Hinds and Ryan Vilade hit back-to-back singles. Christian Encarnacion-Strand matched with a single of his own and brought home Hinds. Davis Wendzel added another run with a base hit to score Vilade, extending the lead to 3-0. Watson notched a strikeout before Toledo turned to their bullpen, with Tanner Rainey came on to record the final out of the frame.

Reiver Sanmartin relieved Sikkema in the bottom of the sixth and sat down the side in order to keep the Mud Hens off the board.

Toledo countered in the seventh with lefty Brant Hurter who sat down the Bats 1-2-3 with two strikeouts.

The battle between the bullpens continued with Toledo's reliever Woo-Suk Go who entered in the eighth. The righty matched Hurter's performance in the seventh and retired the side in order including two strikeouts.

Buck Farmer took the mound for the Bats in the bottom of the eighth. Despite issuing a free pass to start the frame, Farmer retired the next three batters he faced to leave the Mud Hens down to their last three outs.

Luis Mey (S, 9) looked to secure the win for the Bats in the bottom of the ninth. After a quick first out, Toledo recorded their first hit since the fifth inning on a single from Eduardo Valencia. A free pass put two runners on and the tying run at the plate. Mey tightened up and struck out Jace Jung to get Toledo down to their last out. A final groundout secured the combined shutout and Louisville's 10th straight win.

Louisville's pitching only surrendered four total hits against the Mud Hens in the shutout while their offense recorded nine hits of their own. Dunn went 3-5 including his solo home run, his fifth of the year.

The Bats (67-72, 35-29 second half) will continue the series against the Mud Hens (76-63, 37-27 second half) on Wednesday evening. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. ET with Nick Curran and Jim Kelch on the call for Sports Talk 790.

Check out the Louisville Bats Statistics

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International League Stories from September 9, 2025


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