IL Louisville Bats

Clutch Hit Eludes Bats in 6-5 Loss

Published on April 5, 2024 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia - The Louisville Bats were unable to get the timely hit when they needed it most, stranding 11 men on base as a comeback effort fell just short in a 6-5 loss to the Gwinnett Stripers on Friday night at Coolray Field.

For the first time all week, it was the Bats who were able to break the early deadlock, this time against Stripers righty AJ Smith-Shawver. Leading off the game, Blake Dunn singled and stole second. Hernan Perez followed with a walk with a double steal put the runners at second and third. Mike Ford walked to load the bases. Three hitters later, Rece Hinds cashed in with a double down the left field line, scoring Dunn and Perez for a 2-0 Bats lead. A wild pitch would score Ford from third, giving the Bats a 3-0 lead after their first time at the plate.

Making his first start of the year, Bats southpaw Tyler Gilbert quickly navigated through the first before running into trouble in the second. Three straight singles got the Stripers on the board, capped by an RBI single from former Bats infielder Alejo Lopez. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over to second and third before Luke Williams tied the game with a double into the left field corner.

Gilbert couldn't get out of the third. Leury Garcia put the Stripers ahead with a sacrifice fly to center. A double by Lopez put runners on second and third, ending Gilbert's start after 2.2 innings. Against Bats reliever Randy Wynne, Sandy Leon hit Wynne's fourth pitch into right for a two-run single to put Gwinnett ahead 6-3, a lead that would prove to be just enough.

On the mound for Gwinnett, Smith-Shawver was only able to record two outs, allowing all three Bats runs. Brian Moran was first out of the bullpen and pitched an inning and a third scoreless.

Dylan Dodd entered for Gwinnett in the third and was able to take it nearly all the way home from there. Although the Bats put at least one runner on base in every single inning against Dodd between the third and eighth, they were unable to capitalize off him until the ninth.

Singles from Dunn and Ford put two on with one out in the ninth. P.J. Higgins laced a double to the gap in left-center to score Dunn. Conner Capel followed with an RBI ground out to make it 6-5 and move the tying run to third with two outs. Hinds kept the game going with a walk, bringing an end to Dodd's long relief outing.

With the game on the line and a 1-2 count against Gwinnet closer Grant Holmes (S, 1), Michael Trautwein thought he took ball two. However, the Stripers challenged the pitch and it was overturned for strike three, giving Gwinnett the one-run win.

Out of the Louisville bullpen, Wynne allowed two inherited runners to score but didn't allow any more over 2.1 innings. Evan Kravetz pitched two clean frames to give him three scoreless outings to start the season. Yosver Zulueta maintained the three-run deficit with a scoreless eighth. Offensively, Dunn, Ford, Higgins, and Trautwein each recorded two hits in the defeat.

Dodd (W, 2-0) earned the win for Gwinnett with 6.2 relief innings, giving up two runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.

Louisville (4-3) and Gwinnett (4-3) continue their series on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. Lyon Richardson is scheduled to make his second start on the mound for the Bats. Nick Curran will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.

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International League Stories from April 5, 2024


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