Bats Evade Series Sweep to Mud Hens with 9-6 Win
August 10, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - After 406 days without a victory against the Toledo Mud Hens, the Louisville Bats are back in the win column against their division rivals. Scoring three in the fifth inning, and four more in the sixth, the Bats slugged their way to a 9-6 win. With that, Louisville avoided a series sweep and their 18th straight defeat to the Mud Hens.
Bats starter Jose Franco came out strong, punching out two in the opening frame. Although the righty walked two, he didn't surrender a hit, keeping the Mud Hens off the board. He exited after three scoreless innings, racking up four strikeouts.
In the fourth, Louisville finally broke through to snap the stalemate. Rece Hinds kicked off the frame with a triple that split the gap in right-center, tallying the first hit of the game. Two hitters later, Connor Joe brought Hinds home with a blistering ground ball that Toledo's shortstop couldn't corral, getting the Bats on the board.
Hunter Parks picked up where Franco left off in the fourth, tossing a 1-2-3 frame. When Parks came back for the fifth, the Mud Hens threatened by putting two on with one out. Despite the traffic, he worked out of the jam to keep Louisville ahead 1-0.
When the Bats came to the plate in the bottom half, their offense found its groove. Bringing all nine hitters to the plate, Louisville put up three runs. Levi Jordan and Hector Rodriguez reached to start the frame and Sal Stewart doubled, plating Jordan. Will Benson followed suit with a sacrifice fly that brought Rodriguez in. Hinds kept the rally going with a ground-rule double, extending the lead to 4-0.
Though the three-run frame gave the Bats some insurance, they left the bases loaded, squandering a prime opportunity to blow the game open. Toledo capitalized on that.
After Louisville batted around in the bottom of the fifth, the Mud Hens countered by bringing 12 hitters to the plate in the following half inning. Despite only getting two base knocks, Toledo erupted for a six-run sixth. Parks' command waivered, and Yosver Zulueta succumbed to the same issue, gifting the Mud Hens with even more walks. The Bats' arms surrendered six free passes in the frame and allowed Toledo to walk four runs in.
Despite facing a two-run deficit, Louisville kept its foot on the gas, racking up four runs. Just like in the prior frame, Jordan got the action going with a single. Rodriguez doubled, bringing Will Benson to the plate. Singling in Jordan and Rodriguez, Benson leveled the game 6-6. The Bats weren't done, though. Hinds doubled, picking up his third extra-base hit of the day, and Edwin Rios singled to give Louisville an 8-6 advantage.
Reiver Sanmartin (W, 4-2) returned for the seventh after securing the final two outs of the sixth. He erased a leadoff-single with a double play. Zach Maxwell relieved Sanmartin and got the third out for a scoreless frame.
Louisville wasn't satisfied with its two-run advantage, pouring on more in the seventh against Drew Sommers (L, 2-1). Will Banfield doubled, and Rodriguez singled him in. The insurance run swelled the Bats advantage to three runs.
After a scoring barrage from both teams, the score remained locked at 9-6 for the eighth and ninth. Buck Farmer (S, 3) got the ball for the ninth, sitting the Mud Hens down in order to secure the victory and earn the save.
Hinds led the way for the Bats offense, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a triple. Banfield, Jordan, and Rodriguez all posted a pair of hits in the victory.
The Bats (49-65, 17-22 second half) hit the road on Tuesday, kicking off a two-week road trip with a six-game set against the Gwinnett Stripers (47-66, 18-20 second half) on Tuesday evening. First pitch at Coolray Field is set for 7:05 p.m. ET with Nick Curran on the call for Sports Talk 790.
International League Stories from August 10, 2025
- Sounds Swept for First Time in Six-Game Series with Loss to Jumbo Shrimp - Nashville Sounds
- Jacksonville Sweeps Nashville with 2-1 Win - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Iowa Drops Series Finale in St. Paul - Iowa Cubs
- Gonzalez Hits First Triple-A Home Run, Saints Hang on for 3-2 Win - St. Paul Saints
- Williams Joins 20-20 Club as Bulls Beat Rip Redbirds 4-2 - Durham Bulls
- Omaha Takes Series Finale from Indianapolis - Omaha Storm Chasers
- IronPigs Fall in Series Finale Rubber Match to RailRiders - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Memphis Drops Third Straight to End Series with Durham - Memphis Redbirds
- RailRiders Erase Early Deficity, Hold off Lehigh Valley - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Indy Drops Third Straight Contest to Omaha in Series Finale - Indianapolis Indians
- Toledo's Sixth Inning Rally Falls Short to End Series with Louisville - Toledo Mud Hens
- Tirotta's Slam, 6-Run First Lead Bisons to Win over Red Sox - Buffalo Bisons
- Bats Evade Series Sweep to Mud Hens with 9-6 Win - Louisville Bats
- Wells Leads Pitching Staff In Norfolk Win - Norfolk Tides
- Tides Upend Wings in Series Finale - Rochester Red Wings
- Sabol, Pitching Power Knights to Second Straight Win - Charlotte Knights
- Homers & Great Pitching Lead Clippers to Win - Columbus Clippers
- Pair of Columbus Homers Spoil Lara Spot Start in Stripers' 3-1 Loss - Gwinnett Stripers
- August 10 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at St. Paul Saints - Iowa Cubs
- So Much Happening at Huntington Park August 19-24 - Columbus Clippers
- SWB RailRiders Game Notes- August 10, 2025 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Herd Scheduled to Face Phillies' Aaron Nola in Tuesday's Series Opener - Buffalo Bisons
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - August 10 at Norfolk - Rochester Red Wings
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
