Bats Quiet Sounds, End Road Trip with 5-2 Win
IL Louisville Bats

Bats Quiet Sounds, End Road Trip with 5-2 Win

Published on August 24, 2025 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


NASHVILLE, Tennessee - The Louisville Bats lineup made plenty of noise while the pitching staff and defense turned down the volume as the Bats beat the Nashville Sounds 5-2 in the finale of a six-game series at First Horizon Park on Sunday night.

After starters Adam Plutko and Robert Gasser traded zeroes in the first inning, the Bats got a timely hit to strike first against Gasser in the second. With one out, Connor Joe's line drive split the gap in right-center and rolled all the way to the wall for a triple, Joe's first as a member of the Bats. Christian Encarnacion-Strand lifted a sacrifice fly to center, bringing Joe home with the first run of the night.

The 1-0 score would remain until the fourth. On Gasser's second pitch of the inning, Edwin Rios connected on a line drive to the opposite field that just stayed fair and cleared the fence inside the left field foul pole for a solo home run, his team-leading 23rd of the season, to double the Louisville lead to 2-0.

Nashville was able to strike back in the bottom of the frame on a two-out RBI double from Oliver Dunn to score Tyler Black, who reached earlier in the inning with a walk. The Sounds would put the go-ahead run on base before Plutko escaped with the lead intact by inducing a ground out from Jared Oliva to end the inning.

Plutko was able to hold the 2-1 lead in the fifth with the help of his defense. With one out, Ethan Murray's sinking line drive to left was snagged on a dive by Bats left fielder Hector Rodriguez, likely preventing an extra-base hit. Jackson Chourio then doubled to put the tying run at second with two outs. Looking to tie the game, Rhys Hoskins hit a slow ground ball to third, where Sal Stewart fielded and made a long throw from foul territory to get Hoskins at first and end the inning.

Following his strong defensive play to end the bottom of the fifth, Stewart started the top of the sixth with a double into the right field corner. Rios traded places at second with Stewart by hitting a double of his own off the wall in left for his second RBI of the night. A wild pitch moved Rios to third with one out. Joe then hit a soft ground ball to first, allowing Rios to scamper home from third and give the Bats a 4-1 lead.

Pitching with the lead, Plutko (W, 6-7) finished his night on a high note with a scoreless bottom of the sixth, working around a leadoff walk. Over six strong innings, Plutko allowed one run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts to earn his sixth victory of the season.

Sam Benschoter was first out of the Bats bullpen, and he was greeted rudely by Oliva, who hit a solo home run to left to cut the Louisville lead to 4-2. Raynel Delgado then lined a base hit to left but was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double on a strong throw from Rodriguez. Benschoter ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the 4-2 lead.

Luis Mey was next into the game for Louisville in the eighth and made quick work of the Sounds in a 1-2-3 inning. The Bats added one more insurance run in the ninth on an RBI double from Encarnacion-Strand, his sixth extra-base hit of the week, to make it 5-2.

Closer Buck Farmer (S, 6) came in and wrapped up the victory with a clean ninth to earn his team-leading sixth save of the season.

At the plate, Rios led the way for the Bats offense, going 2-for-4 with the double, home run, two RBI, and two runs. Stewart also went 2-for-4 while Encarnacion-Strand drove in two of the five runs in the win. The win gives the Bats an even 6-6 split of their season-long 12-game road trip.

The Bats (55-71, 23-28 second half) return home to begin a 12-game homestand on Tuesday night. It begins with a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers (52-69, 18-31 second half). First pitch at Louisville Slugger Field is set for 7:05 p.m. Nick Curran will be on the call for Sports Talk 790 AM.

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International League Stories from August 24, 2025


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