Bats Dominate Saints with 15-3 Win
IL Louisville Bats

Bats Dominate Saints with 15-3 Win

July 19, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - The Louisville Bats routed the St. Paul Saints 15-3 on Saturday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Rece Hinds becomes the third Bat this season to hit multiple home runs in a game, and this game was the second time this season the Bats have scored 15 runs in a game.

Louisville jumped out in front after an unconventional second inning. Hinds and Christian Encarnacion-Strand snagged lead-off singles off Saints starter Marco Raya (L, 1-5), the number six prospect in the Twins organization. Sal Stewart, in his second game in Triple-A, hit into a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners. Ryan Vilade hit a sharp groundball to third baseman Jonah Bride, who threw the ball into left field, trying to turn the double play. The throwing error brought in a run and put runners on the corners again. Raya attempted to pick off Vilade at first, but the ball got past first basemen Jose Miranda, and both runners advanced on the second error of the inning. Levi Jordan knocked in Vilade with a single, and the Bats took a 3-0 lead into the third.

The Saints didn't waste any time responding and struck fast in the third. Payton Eeles hit a two-run double off Bats starter Carson Spiers, and Edouard Julien singled home Eeles to tie the game. The score wasn't tied for long, as Hinds came up in the bottom of the frame and mashed a 427-foot home run to straight away center field to retake the lead.

Spiers came out of the game in the fourth inning, and Sam Benschoter (W, 6-3) came in with the bases loaded. He recorded two big outs to prevent St. Paul from scoring and kept the lead intact.

Louisville expanded the lead in the bottom of the frame. With two runners on base, Francisco Urbaez cleared the bags with a big fly of his own, this one a three-run shot for his fourth home run of the season, making it 7-3 after the inning.

The Bats blew the game wide open in the fifth. Jarret Whorff came in to relieve Raya and surrendered a solo home run to Vilade. Will Banfield drew a walk, then Hector Rodriguez picked up his first hit in Triple-A after being called up from Chattanooga. Urbaez and Edwin Rios both singled to bring the runners home. Hinds smashed his second home run of the night, this time a 410-foot bomb to center field. The Bats' fourth long ball of the game made the score 13-3, putting the game out of reach.

The Bats added more runs in the seventh with Urbaez and Rios both driving in one. Benschoter, Reiver Sanmartin, and Yosver Zulueta all looked strong on the mound and prevented the Saints from adding any more runs. Luis Mey gave up one run in the ninth, and Lenny Torres finished the game.

Hinds finished 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI. Urbaez ended the night going 3-for-4 with four RBI, and Rios went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

The Bats (41-54, 9-11 second half) will wrap up the three-game set with the Saints (43-50, 10-10 second half) with a rubber match on Sunday afternoon. First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m. with Nick Curran and Jim Kelch on the call on Sports Talk 790.

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International League Stories from July 19, 2025


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