Blistering Bats Storm Past Sounds in 13-4 Win
Published on August 23, 2025 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - It was a busy night on the bases for the Louisville Bats in their crushing 13-4 victory over the Nashville Sounds. The Bats piled up 13 total hits, highlighted by five home runs, including two from Reds number one prospect Sal Stewart.
The Bats jumped to an early lead in the first inning despite two quick outs to start the game. With two away, Stewart launched a no-doubt solo home run 460 feet to left off Sounds starter Bruce Zimmermann (L, 6-7). The home run is the longest by a Bats player this season by 20 feet.
Jared Lyons (W 1-0) started on the mound for Louisville, opening the game strong going 1-2-3 for the inning including two strikeouts.
Louisville started the second slow, grounding out twice to open the frame. However, the slugging came alive again with a Christian Encarnacion-Strand double that set the stage for P.J. Higgins, who followed with a two-run homer to left field. The momentum carried to the last batter of the order, Davis Wendzel, who solo homered one of his own, with the back-to-back shots extending the lead 4-0.
Lyons carried his strong start into the bottom of the second, retiring the side in order once again to keep the Sounds off the bases.
The Bats kept finding ways to score against Zimmermann. Stewart and Edwin Ríos started off the third by drawing back-to-back walks. Ryan Vilade followed with a double to center field, scoring Stewart, and Connor Joe ripped a double of his own past third base to bring in two more runs.
Nashville found their first hit off Lyons in the third, a single from Freddy Zamora. That was all the Sounds could muster as Lyons retired the next three batters to end the inning.
After Zimmermann's 75 pitches through three innings, the Sounds turned to Brian Fitzpatrick from their bullpen. Louisville's offense stalled against the reliever, who struck out the side in order.
The Sounds made some noise in the fourth as their leadoff man reached on a throwing error to open the inning. They then followed with back-to-back homers from Rhys Hoskins and Daz Cameron to cut the Louisville lead 7-3. Lyons tightened up, retiring the next three batters to limit the damage.
Joel Valdez entered the game for the Bats in his Triple-A debut in the bottom of the sixth and recorded two hitless, scoreless frames to hold the Sounds at bay.
Louisville added more than enough cushion to their lead in the eighth, starting out with Wendzel, who drew a walk off Sounds reliever Joel Payamps. A Blake Dunn single got two men on base. Red-hot Stewart delivered at the plate yet again, this time with a three-run opposite field home run to right field, his second of the night and ninth with the Bats.
With only one out in the inning, the Bats weren't done yet. Ríos continued the rally by drawing a walk, followed by a single from Joe to left field. Encarnacion-Strand matched Stewart with a three-run homer of his own to cap off the six-run inning, putting Louisville firmly in the lead 13-3.
Luis Mey replaced Valdez in the bottom of the frame, going 1-2-3 for the inning. Nashville plated a run off Lenny Torres Jr. in the ninth before the Bats righty ended the game with a strikeout.
Stewart went 2-for-4 with the pair of home runs, three runs scored, four RBI, and a pair of walks in the victory. The Bats tied their season high for most home runs in a game with five. Eight out of nine batters for Louisville reached safely in the win.
On the pitching side, Lyons earned his first Triple-A win in his second start, giving up three runs on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts over five innings.
The Bats (54-71, 22-28 second half) will finish off the series against the Sounds (68-55, 24-26 second half) on Sunday night. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET with Nick Curran on the call for Talk Radio 1080.
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