Bats Blanked by I-Cubs in Series Finale 3-0
June 15, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
DES MOINES, Iowa - Following two strong offensive outbursts on Friday and Saturday, the Louisville Bats offense dried up on Sunday afternoon, never even putting a runner on third base in a 3-0 loss to the Iowa Cubs in the series finale at Principal Park.
Iowa starter Connor Noland and Louisville starter Aaron Wilkerson were each in fine form early, keeping the game scoreless until the third.
Leading off the bottom of the third, Iowa's Darius Hill reached with a leadoff double and moved to third on a ground out from Hayden Cantrelle. With the infield in, Christian Franklin hit a hard ground ball to Levi Jordan at short. Jordan fielded the ball cleanly and threw home, where Will Banfield tagged out Hill trying to score the first run of the game. Wilkerson was nearly through the inning unscathed. But with two outs, Owen Caissie connected on a two-run home run to dead center field to put the home team up 2-0 after three.
Louisville looked to respond in the fourth as Jeimer Candelario walked and Edwin Rios singled to put two on with nobody out. However, Noland retired the next three hitters he faced with two fly balls and a ground out to strand the runners.
The 2-0 score remained until the fifth, when Dixon Machado led off the frame with a solo home run to left, increasing the Iowa lead to 3-0.
The Bats went quietly in the top of the sixth, and Wilkerson worked around a leadoff walk to pitch a clean bottom of the frame. The sixth would prove to be the final inning for both starters. In a quality start, Wilkerson allowed three earned runs on three hits, walking one and striking out four in six innings. However, two of the three hits were home runs, leading to a loss for Wilkerson (L, 4-2).
Noland (W, 6-3) was sharp for the Cubs from start to finish, inducing weak contact from the Bats. He pitched six scoreless innings, giving up four hits, walking two, and striking out one to earn the win.
In relief for the Cubs, Luke Little and Nate Pearson held the 3-0 lead going to the ninth. Hunter Parks and Zach Maxwell did the same for the Bats.
Down to their last three outs, the Bats began to put up a fight against Iowa closer Riley Martin (S, 3). With one out, pinch hitter Bryson Brigman reached on an infield single, and Jordan walked to bring the tying run to the plate. P.J. Higgins then crushed a ball to the gap in right-center. Running over from right field, Caissie covered a lot of ground to make the catch at the wall and threw back to the infield, doubling Brigman off second base to end the game with a double play, clinching a series win for the Cubs.
The Bats were shut out despite outhitting the Cubs 6-3. Six different Louisville players recorded a hit in the briskly played loss, which was completed in just an hour and 55 minutes.
The Bats (29-40) are back home to start a six-game series against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (35-31) on Tuesday night. First pitch at Louisville Slugger Field is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will be on the call for Sports Talk 790.
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