Defensive Mishaps Spell Disaster for Bats in 6-4 Loss

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Defensive Mishaps Spell Disaster for Bats in 6-4 Loss

July 10, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Louisville Bats dropped game three of their series with the Columbus Clippers on Thursday afternoon by a score of 6-4. It was a tough one to swallow for the Bats, who got a quality start from Brian Van Belle and were in control for most of the game. Defensive misplays and an error up the middle of the infield cost Louisville its late lead.

Brian Van Belle toed the slab for Louisville this afternoon, and he looked sharp early on. He struck out the side in the top of the first on just 10 pitches.

Ryan Vilade got Louisville going in the top of the second, leading off the inning with his second home run in as many days to put the Bats up 1-0. Van Belle took just nine pitches to retire the Clippers in order in the bottom of the frame.

Louisville continued hitting in the top of the third. Francisco Urbaez doubled and moved to third on a wild pitch, and Rece Hinds came up two batters later, walking and stealing second. Vilade poked a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in another run, and Jack Rogers pulled a single through the right side to make it 3-0 Bats.

Van Belle was rolling for the Bats through four, facing just one batter over the minimum. He ran into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the fifth, allowing a walk and a single to start the inning. Jake Anchia roped a single into left to plate Columbus' first run of the game, cutting into the Louisville lead. Milan Tolentino added an RBI double into right field that made it 3-2 and put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Van Belle got Dayan Frias to roll over and ground out to end the inning, and he rebounded with a quick sixth to clinch a quality start, exiting in line for the win.

Reiver Sanmartin took over on the hill for the Bats in the seventh. A double, steal and single from Columbus with one out in the inning knotted the game at three and spoiled Van Belle's chance for the victory. A groundball to second base resulted in a collision between Francisco Urbaez and Clippers runner Anchia on the basepaths, with interference being called on Anchia for the second out. It was a scary sight, as both players stayed on the ground, visibly rattled, until the trainers came out. Anchia walked off under his own power and Urbaez remained in the game for Louisville. Sanmartin escaped bases-loaded trouble later in the inning to keep the game tied entering the eighth.

In the top of the eighth, Blake Dunn drew a one-out walk against Matt Krook (W, 2-0), his second free pass of the day. Urbaez came up two batters later and ripped his fourth hit and second double of the day, this one to the left field wall that plated Dunn from first and put the Bats back in front, 4-3. It is Urbaez' second four-hit game of the season.

Columbus wouldn't go away in the bottom of the eighth. The Clippers quickly put two on thanks to a walk and an Urbaez error before moving both runners into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, forcing Lenny Torres Jr. (L, 1-1) from the game as the Bats turned to Joe La Sorsa. A hard-hit ground ball to shortstop ate up Levi Jordan and trickled into center field, allowing the tying run to come across. La Sorsa got a big second out, but Tolentino knocked a double into right field just out of the reach of Hinds, giving Columbus its first lead of the game going into the ninth.

It was Franco Aleman (S, 3) who came in to close out the game for the Clippers, forcing a groundball double play to end the game and hand the Bats their first loss of the series.

The Bats (39-51, 7-8 second half) will continue their series with the Clippers (41-46, 7-8 second half) with game four on Friday night, as they once again look to clinch at least a series split. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET with Nick Curran on the call for Sports Talk 790.

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