
Bats Extend Winning Streak on Walk-off Wild Pitch
July 13, 2024 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - After letting a lead slip away in the eighth inning, the Louisville Bats responded to force extra innings and ultimately win 5-4 in 10 innings over the St. Paul Saints on Saturday night, extending their season-long winning streak to six games.
In the top of the 10th, the Bats turned to reliever Stevie Branche (W, 2-1) and he was excellent. Following a leadoff walk that put runners on first and second, Branche retired the next three hitters he faced with a strike out and a couple fly outs to strand the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Erik Gonzalez began the bottom of the 10th as the Bats' designated runner on second. Two intentional walks sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt loaded the bases with one out and Levi Jordan at the plate. On a 1-2 pitch, Saints reliever Diego Castillo (L, 0-2) fired a wild pitch to the backstop, allowing Gonzalez to scamper home from third with the winning run.
The game began similarly well for the Bats. The offense got off and running, literally, in the bottom of the first. Jacob Hurtubise got it started with a four-pitch walk from Saints starter Randy Dobnak. Hurtubise then stole second, his fourth straight game with a stolen base, and advanced to third on a wild throw from Saints catcher Patrick Winkel. Livan Soto cashed in with an RBI single to left, putting the Bats on the board first.
Making his first start since June 27 after attending the birth of his first child, Bats southpaw Brandon Leibrandt allowed a single in both the first an second inning without a run coming home. Following a one, two, three-inning in the third, the Saints broke through in the fourth. A Bats error on Winkel's ground ball allowed Chris Williams to score. Alex Isola's RBI single then put the visitors up 2-1.
Leibrandt was pulled after four innings allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The Bats got him off the hook in the bottom of the frame on Blake Dunn's sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to deep left-center to tie the game at two.
Grant Gavin was first out of the Louisville bullpen for his second appearance with the team and navigated around a leadoff walk in the fifth for a clean frame. Louisville's offense jumped back in front in the bottom of the fifth. Hernan Perez reached on an error, advanced to second on a ground out, and moved to third on a single from Hurtubise. Dunn restored the lead with an RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 3-2 advantage.
A double play erased a leadoff single to get Gavin through the sixth. In his first relief outing with the Bats, Gavin pitched two scoreless innings, walking two. In the bottom half, Conner Capel doubled the Louisville lead with a solo home run to left, his 12th of the season and second in as many nights.
Brooks Kriske breezed through the Saints in the seventh. He got two outs in the eighth but departed with a runner at second and two outs. Alan Busenitz entered and struggled to get the third out. Anthony Prato's RBI single made it a 4-3 game. Winkel walked to keep the inning going. Isola tied the game with an RBI single, giving the visitors two runs with two outs to get even. Busenitz and Saints reliever Jeff Brigham traded zeroes in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings, where the Bats would emerge victorious.
The six-game winning is the first for the Bats since August 1-6, 2023. Dunn went 2-for-4 with the home run, two RBI, and a run scored. Soto was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, walking twice as well. The win is the Bats' third one-run victory in the first five games of the series against St. Paul.
The Bats (47-43, 9-7 second half) will look to complete a six-game sweep of the Saints (44-47, 6-11 second half) in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Louisville Slugger Field is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET. Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.
• Discuss this story on the International League message board...
International League Stories from July 13, 2024
- Eight-Run Seventh Rockets Omaha to 18-4 Win Over Toledo - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Iowa Snaps Four-Game Skid - Iowa Cubs
- Memphis Smacks Three Home Runs in Saturday Loss to Norfolk - Memphis Redbirds
- Sounds Come up Just Short Versus I-Cubs in Front of the Largest Crowd of the Season - Nashville Sounds
- Saints' Skid Hits Five Games, Lose on Wild Pitch 5-4 - St. Paul Saints
- Bats Extend Winning Streak on Walk-off Wild Pitch - Louisville Bats
- Three-Run Fifth Spells Doom for Indians in 4-3 Setback - Indianapolis Indians
- Hens Fight Early, But Fall 18-4 to Storm Chasers - Toledo Mud Hens
- Norfolk Routs Memphis To Clinch Series Win - Norfolk Tides
- Cortes Hits Go-Ahead Homer, Mets Wins Fourth Straight Game with 7-4 Victory Over RailRiders on Saturday Night - Syracuse Mets
- Knights Defeat Bulls, 7-5 - Durham Bulls
- Jumbo Shrimp Come up Short in 4-3 Defeat - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- WooSox Drop Another One-Run Game, Lose 4-3 to Rochester - Worcester Red Sox
- Three Home Runs Power Stripers to 4-3 Victory over Jacksonville - Gwinnett Stripers
- Three Home Runs Power Stripers To 4-3 Victory Over Jacksonville - Gwinnett Stripers
- Solid Warren Start Not Enough in RailRiders Loss - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Jim Haley Drives in Four to Back Stellar David Buchanan for Fourth Straight 'Pigs' Win - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- RailRiders Downed 7-4 to Syracuse Mets - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Roden's Big Night Spoiled by Lehigh Valley - Buffalo Bisons
- July 13 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Nashville Sounds - Iowa Cubs
- SWB Game Notes - July 13 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - July 13 at Worcester - Rochester Red Wings
- WooSox Top Red Wings Under Friday Night Lights - Rochester Red Wings
- Chasers Surrender Six Homers in 12-6 Loss to Toledo - Omaha Storm Chasers
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.
