IL Louisville Bats

Home Runs Sink Bats in 13-4 Loss

Published on April 9, 2024 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - A barrage of early home runs from the Columbus Clippers created a deficit that was too much for the Louisville Bats to overcome in a 13-4 loss in the opener of a six-game series at Louisville Slugger Field on Tuesday night.

After a scoreless first inning, the game quickly unraveled for Bats starter Connor Phillips (L, 1-1) in the top of the second. After a throwing error from Bats third baseman Hernan Perez allowed the leadoff man to reach, Juan Brito put Columbus ahead with a two-run homer to right. Following two more singles, Lorenzo Cedrola hit a three-run homer to give the visitors a 5-0 edge. Johnathan Rodriguez made it six runs for the Clippers with a solo homer in the third.

Phillips (L, 1-1) continued to struggle in the fourth, walking three before being pulled in favor of Pedro Garcia. The first batter Garcia faced, Jhonkensy Noel, put the Clippers into double digits with a grand slam, his first home of the year. Phillips took the loss after allowing nine runs, eight earned, on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts over 3.2 innings. Columbus added two more off Garcia in the fifth to make it 12-0.

The Bats got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. P.J. Higgins began the frame with a double for the first Louisville hit of the night. Conner Capel followed with a 399-foot home run to right-center, his fourth of the season to extend his league-leading on-base streak to 10 games and make it a 12-2 game.

An inning later, Levi Jordan reached with a one-out single to bring an end an end to Columbus starter Ben Lively's night. Against new reliever Mason Hickman, Bats first baseman Mike Ford blasted a 401-foot home run to right-center, his third home run of the season and second in as many games, to cut the Columbus lead to 12-4.

However, the Bats would get no closer. Lively (W, 1-0) pitched 5.1 innings to earn the win. Hickman and Randy Labaut combined to pitch the final 3.2 innings to finish the win.

Out of the Bats bullpen, Garcia surrendered three runs over an inning of work. Evan Kravetz tossed 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Michael Byrne threw a clean frame of his own with three strikeouts. Tony Santillan allowed a run in the ninth while getting two outs before Stevie Branche got the final out of the inning.

The two-run homers from Ford and Capel accounted for all of the Louisville scoring. No Bats players recorded more than one hit and the Bats didn't take a walk in the loss.

The Bats (4-6) continue their series against the Clippers (4-5) on Wednesday morning. First pitch at Louisville Slugger Field is scheduled for 11:05 a.m. Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.

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International League Stories from April 9, 2024


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