Bats Lose 18-16 to Iowa in Historic Slugfest
April 27, 2023 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
DES MOINES, IA - Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit two home runs in a five-hit effort the Louisville Bats (8-15) lost a historic slugfest 18-16 to the Iowa Cubs (14-7) Thursday afternoon at Principal Park.
Louisville got off to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning. Alejo Lopez led off the game with a single before stealing second to put himself in scoring position. Matt McLain followed with a one-out double, allowing Lopez to score. Christian Encarnacion-Strand brought McLain home with a single to left field, to take an early lead 2-0.
The I-Cubs responded immediately in the following frame with a solo homer that cut their deficit in half, making the score 2-1.
The Bats continued to put runs on the board in the second inning. Jhonny Pereda kicked off the high scoring inning with a ground ball single followed by a Lopez walk. Reds top prospect Elly De La Cruz brought the baserunners home on a towering double, advancing to third on the throw in from the outfield. De La Cruz would score soon after on a McLain RBI single that would quickly end the day for Cubs Rehabber Kyle Hendricks. The scoring fest continued as Encarnacion-Strand blasted a two-out two-run home run to extend the lead to 7-1.
Iowa answered again, scoring three more runs to chip away at the Bats lead, making the score 7-4 through two innings.
Louisville continued its scoring effort, beginning the third inning with three consecutive singles. De La Cruz tallied his second hit of the game, an RBI double, to push the Bats lead back up to five at 9-4.
The I-Cubs refused to give up, hitting four home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The back-to-back-to-back home runs with two outs would give them their first lead of the game at 10-9. Iowa extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth with another home run, going up 11-9.
In the sixth inning, De La Cruz and McLain got things going with a leadoff single and walk, respectively. Encarnacion-Strand continued his impressive game at the plate in the next at-bat, launching his second home run of the game, his third in the past two days, to retake the lead. Will Benson kept the inning alive with a double, his first extra-base hit of the season. Benson scored two batters later on a Brian Rey single before Pereda capped off the offensive outburst with a double to score Rey, giving the Bats a 14-11 lead.
Iowa was able to chip away at the Bats lead in the home half of the sixth inning, scoring a run to get back within two at 14-12.
Louisville was able to put another run on the board in the top of the seventh after De La Cruz led the inning off with a triple, scoring on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.
The I-Cubs scored six runs across the next two inning to take an 18-15 lead.
Louisville was able to score a single run in the seventh and ninth innings to threaten a comeback but were unable to top Iowa in the slugfest. The 34 combined runs in the game are the most runs scored in a game in Louisville franchise history, topping the previous mark of 30 runs, last achieved almost four years ago to the day on April 26, 2019 in a 16-14 loss to Norfolk at Louisville Slugger Field.
Every Bat who stepped to the plate tallied at least one hit in the total team, 21-hit effort. Encarnacion-Strand's five-hit game is the first for Louisville since 2019 (Christian Colon, 5/26/19) and his 6 RBI are the most in a game since 2021 (Jose Barrero, 7/28/21 at IOW).
Louisville and Iowa will play game four of the six-game series tomorrow, Friday, April 28th, with first pitch set for 8:08 pm E.T. Right-hander Kevin Herget (0-1, 10.13) will take the mound for the Bats, taking on fellow righty Chris Clarke (0-0, 0.00) for the I-Cubs.
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