IL Louisville Bats

Bats' Comeback Falls Short on Saturday Night

July 8, 2023 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


TOLEDO, OH - The Louisville Bats (44-40) nearly overcame an early five-run deficit on Saturday night but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 12-8 to the Toledo Mud Hens (38-47).

Christian Encarnacion-Strand led the way for the Louisville offense, crushing two home runs and scoring three of the Bats' eight runs, as the Bats battled back from down 6-1 to tie the game in the eighth.

After falling into an early 2-0 hole, Chuckie Robinson got the Bats on the board with an RBI single into left that brought Encarnacion-Strand around to score.

The Mud Hens offense continued to click, tagging the Bats for a run in both the second and third inning before cashing in on two runs in the fifth to go up 6-1. After largely being shut down offensively for the first five innings, the Bats found a spark in the top of the sixth, launching three home runs.

Louisville's power surge began with back-to-back home runs from Matt Reynolds and Encarnacion-Strand to lead off the inning, with Encarnacion-Strand's laser to center traveling an estimated 443 feet. Later in the frame, Jose Barrero clubbed his fourth home run of the season to cut the Toledo lead down to 6-4.

The top of the seventh saw Louisville claw within one off a chaotic play on the basepaths when Michael Siani raced home while Nick Martini was caught between first and second base. Toledo scored two more runs in the bottom half of the seventh to go up 8-5, but the lead did not last long.

Encarnacion-Strand kicked off the top of the eighth with his second home run of the game and team-leading 20th bomb of the season sailing over the batter's eye and measuring in at 467 feet. Down to the final strike of the inning, Michael Siani poked a double down the third-base line to score both TJ Hopkins and Robinson, evening the score at eight runs.

Toledo had the immediate answer, mashing a two-out grand slam to bring the lead to 12-8 with the Bats unable to generate any more offense in the ninth.

Tomorrow's series finale will begin at 2:05 pm E.T. with RHP Christian Roa (0-2, 14.73 ERA) set to make the start for Louisville against lefthander Joey Wentz (0-0, 3.86 ERA) for Toledo.

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