IL Louisville Bats

Bats Blast Three Homers, Win in Omaha

Published on April 14, 2022 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


OMAHA, NE - The Louisville Bats used three home runs and a six-run second inning to defeat the Omaha Storm Chasers 8-5 on Thursday night at Werner Park. Ronnie Dawson, Miguel Hernandez and J.T. Riddle each went deep, contributing to the Bats' season-best eight run output.

The Louisville onslaught began in the second inning, when Dawson launched a long two-run home run over the right field fence. It was his second home run of the series and third of the season. Dawson, who finished the day with two hits and three RBIs, has now homered in each of the Bats' three victories.

After a Riddle double and a Chris Okey walk, Miguel Hernandez hit Louisville's second long ball of the inning, extending the lead to 5-0. Later in the frame, Dawson drew a bases loaded walk, bringing in the sixth run of the second.

Bats' starter Graham Ashcraft held Omaha off the scoreboard until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Gabriel Cancel brought in a run on a sacrifice fly. The Storm Chasers scratched across an unearned run in the fifth, but that would be all against Ashcraft during his five innings of work. The 24-year-old sports a 1.08 ERA after his first two starts of the season.

Omaha cut further into the deficit with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ivan Castillo drew a bases loaded walk to make it 8-3. Then with two outs and the bases still full, Nick Pratto hit a pop-up near shortstop that got caught in the windy Omaha skies and was eventually dropped for an error, allowing two runs to score.

The Louisville bullpen locked things down the rest of the way to finish off the 8-5 victory. Phillip Diehl, Pedro Payano and Fernando Cruz combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings without allowing a run and struck out eight.

Louisville and Omaha will play game four of their six-game series on Friday night at 7:35 p.m. ET. Bernardo Flores Jr. will get the ball for the Bats, opposing former first-round pick Jackson Kowar.

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International League Stories from April 14, 2022


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