Bats Drop Matinee to I-Cubs 5-3
September 11, 2024 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
DES MOINES, Iowa - In another tightly played contest, the Louisville Bats were unable to contain the Iowa Cubs offense late in the game before their own comeback came up short, suffering a 5-3 loss in the second game of their six-game series at Principal Park on Wednesday afternoon.
With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, the Bats sent Reiver Sanmartin (L, 0-2) back to the mound for his second inning of work. A walk and a pair of singles loaded the bases with one out. From there, the Bats turned to Brooks Crawford looking to escape a big jam. On Crawford's fourth pitch, William Simoneit doubled deep to the gap in left center, scoring a pair of runs to put Iowa in front 5-3.
In the top of the ninth, Iowa closer Daniel Palencia (S, 4) quickly got the first two outs before Tucker Barnhart reached on an error to extend the game. Bubba Thompson and Jacob Hurtubise then walked, butting the tying and go-ahead runs on base with two outs. Former Iowa Cub Levi Jordan laced a hard ground ball to third, where Iowa third baseman Hayden Cantrelle was able to field and dive to the third base bag, barely getting the force out on Thompson to secure the win for the Cubs.
For Iowa, the game began in similarly strong fashion, as RBI singles from Trayce Thompson and Matt Mervis gave the home team a 2-0 lead in the first against Bats righty Jose Acuna.
The Bats got the runs right back in the top of the second on a towering 427-foot two-run blast to right-center from Ivan Johnson, his fifth at the Triple-A level to even the score against Iowa starter Caleb Kilian. Johnson would strike again in the fourth, this time with an RBI single to score Davis Wendzel, who began the inning with a double to left.
Iowa responded to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. A hit by pitch and a walk put two on with nobody out to start the inning, ending Acuna's start. Connor Overton was called on and walked the first hitter he faced to load the bases. Ed Howard then grounded into a double play, bringing the tying run home.
The 3-3 tie would last from the fourth until the eighth, with both teams getting strong pitching until the Cubs got the decisive hit in the eighth.
In his third Triple-A start, Acuna allowed three runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts in three innings. Connor Overton threw three scoreless relief innings, striking out one and walking one. For the Cubs, Kilian tossed a quality start, giving up three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Michael Arias (W, 3-1) kept the score tied with two scoreless innings to earn the win.
Sanmartin took the loss for the Bats, giving up two runs in 1.1 innings before Crawford got the final two outs in the eighth after giving up the game-winning hit. Offensively, Johnson led the way for Louisville, going 2-for-4 while driving in all three Bats runs. P.J. Higgins also went 2-for-4 with a double in the defeat.
The Bats (63-76, 25-40 second half) and Cubs (62-78, 29-36 second half) continue their series on Thursday night. First pitch at Principal Park is scheduled for 7:38 p.m. Nick Curran will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.
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