Highlights: Bats Ride Early Offensive Attack to 4-2 Victory over Cubs
IL Louisville Bats

Highlights: Bats Ride Early Offensive Attack to 4-2 Victory over Cubs

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


LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - The Louisville Bats wasted no time getting their offense going by putting up two runs in the first and carried a lead over the Iowa Cubs all the way to the finish line, securing a 4-2 victory on Thursday night at Louisville Slugger Field.

Following Wednesday's 9-0 loss in which the Bats scrounged together just two hits, Louisville turned the page on Thursday.

The Bats came out swinging against Iowa starter Jordan Wicks (L, 1-4), stringing together three straight singles to begin play. Rece Hinds poked one through the right side to score Blake Dunn, and despite Edwin Rios hitting into a double play, Hector Rodriguez came home to make it 2-0.

Twenty-two days removed from his last start, Adam Plutko (W, 3-5) wasted no time settling right back in, needing just six pitches to get through the first inning. After a 1-2-3 scoreless second, Plutko yielded a leadoff triple to Ben Cowles in the third, who scored to cut the I-Cubs' deficit in half.

The Bats got that run right back in the bottom half, thanks to a pair of free passes and three stolen bases. A double steal from Dunn and Rodriquez got Dunn to third base, and a sacrifice fly from Hinds got him home.

For the most part, Plutko retained control on the mound, making few mistakes. In the fourth, a fastball down and in to Moises Ballesteros proved costly. Ballesteros smashed it 419 feet onto the Louisville Slugger Field concourse, making it a 3-2 ballgame.

Plutko's day came to an end after five innings of work, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out two to earn his third win of the season.

While the Bats were busy on the base paths early, they began stalling at the plate. Louisville put six men on in the opening three frames but only had one baserunner in the following four. Still, with the Bats bullpen stepping up, three runs were enough to keep them in the driver's seat.

Yosver Zulueta took over in the sixth, fanning two I-Cubs in a scoreless sixth before returning for the seventh. After Zulueta quickly got two strikeouts, Joe La Sorsa entered looking for the final out. Hayden Cantrelle doubled, putting the tying run in scoring position for Iowa, but La Sorsa stranded him there by fooling James Triantos on the ninth pitch of the at bat for a strikeout. La Sorsa returned for the eighth and used just five pitch to retire the side.

In the bottom half, Rodriguez rocketed a double off the right field wall that scored Levi Jordan, giving the Bats a key insurance run.

With a two-run advantage, Buck Farmer (S, 1) came in to finish the job in the ninth and did exactly that. Despite a leadoff walk, Farmer got a strikeout and double play to seal the 4-2 Bats win and earn the save, his first Louisville save since June 23, 2022, also against Iowa. Dunn scored two runs and Hinds tallied two RBI to lead the Louisville offense on Thursday.

The Bats (43-56, 11-13 second half) continue their series with the I-Cubs (50-48, 11-13 second half) on Friday night for game four of the series. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET with Nick Curran and Jim Kelch on the call for Sports Talk 790.

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International League Stories from July 24, 2025


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