Bats' Four-Run Comeback Spoiled by Stripers' Three-Run Ninth
May 21, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - Despite falling into a four-run hole after two innings, the Louisville Bats clawed their way back against the Gwinnett Stripers to knot the game at four. However, a three-run homer in the ninth from Jared Kelenic negated the impressive comeback as the Bats ultimately fell, 7-4 on Wednesday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field.
Randy Wynne took the mound, struggling through a rough patch. After posted a 3.10 ERA in April Wynne's struggled in May, with a 9.24 ERA entering his start. His woes materialized immediately Wednesday afternoon. Gwinnett led off the game with back-to-back walks, plating both runners with a two-run single from James McCann. The Stripers tacked on a third run in the opening frame off Eddys Leonard's triple before Wynne forced two flyouts to stop the bleeding there.
Trailing by three before even stepping up to the plate, Louisville mounted an early threat with two quick singles, but couldn't capitalize, stranding runners on the corners.
Wynne's struggles ensued when he returned for the second, surrendering an opposite-field blast to Eddy Alvarez. Given Gwinnett's damage off him, Wynne's day ended after two innings of work with Louisville trailing 4-0.
The Bats offense remained quiet until the fourth, when it finally woke up. Jack Rogers took Stripers starter Hurston Waldrep deep for his first career Triple-A homer, putting Louisville's first run on the board. Levi Jordan kept the momentum going with a single that he came around to score from. With a two-run fourth, the Bats cut their deficit in half.
On the other side of the ball, Louisville's bullpen delivered, keeping the Stripers in check. Sam Benschoter turned in three scoreless innings, and Joe La Sorsa, Reiver Sanmartin and Connor Phillips each threw a shutdown frame.
Louisville's offense didn't capitalize on its bullpen's lights-out pitching immediately, going down in order in the fifth and sixth innings. Finally, in the seventh, the offensive broke through. Will Banfield kicked it off with a double, and Bryson Brigman followed with an infield hit. Brigman swiped second, and a miscue by the Stripers' second basemen allowed Banfield to come home. Two hitters later, Francisco Urbaez drove Brigman in, leveling the score, 4-4.
Six scoreless frames from the Bats' bullpen came in clutch to bolster their comeback, but succumbing to Gwinnett in the top of the ninth negated that impact.
Alexis Diaz (L, 1-2) took the bump looking to send Louisville to the plate in the bottom of the ninth deadlocked 4-4. The Stripers offense had other ideas. A walk and a single put two on. Diaz struck out Ronald Acuña Jr. for the second out of the inning. But Kelenic then launched a 420-foot three-run homer to break the tie.
Despite a valiant effort to erase a four-run deficit, Louisville had no answer to Kelenic's three-run bomb. Craig Kimbrel (S, 2) finished the job for Gwinnett, shutting the Bats down 1-2-3 to secure their 7-4 victory.
Urbaez and Brigman each tallied two hits and an RBI, and Rogers' solo shot marked his first at the Triple-A level.
The Bats (20-26) continue their series with the Stripers (21-26) on Thursday night, looking to bounce back from a tough loss. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. ET with Nick Curran and Jim Kelch on the call for Sports Talk 790.
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