IL Louisville Bats

Morrison, Payton & Co. Power Bats to Skid-Snapping Win

Published on June 17, 2021 under International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


OMAHA, Neb. - Mark Payton and Logan Morrison combined to drive in five runs and RJ Alaniz, Josh Osich and Cionel Perez worked 4.0 innings of one-run ball to help the Louisville Bats snap a six-game skid with an 8-5 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers Wednesday night inside Werner Park.

After struggling to piece together timely hits on Tuesday, Louisville struck first with six runs over the opening two innings. With one out in the first, Payton turned on the first pitch, lifting a solo home run over the left-field wall. The inning continued with three straight singles and Morrison ripped a seeing-eye single through the infield in right to bring home the second run of the game.

One inning later, after Beau Taylor and TJ Friedl reached via five-pitch walks, the Bats manufactured four straight singles to plate four more runs and extend their early lead to 6-0.

Omaha responded with four runs of their own in the fourth and fifth inning, capped off by a solo homer from Emmanuel Rivera to trim the Bats' lead to 6-4 after five frames.

Reiver Sanmartin stimmed the tide, though, to pick up his third win of the season. The left-hander retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced before ultimately allowing four earned runs on six hits, no walks and five strikeouts over 5.0 innings pitched

With the latest outing, Sanmartin has now recorded five or more strikeouts in each his first four Triple-A starts.

Before Louisville completely turned the game over to the bullpen, the Bats returned to the dish to add two valuable insurance runs with a two-run homer from TJ Friedl.

Alaniz took over in the sixth and seventh, Osich yeilded a homer in the eighth and Perez closed the door in the ninth for his first save of 2021.

Morrison led the offensive outburst with a 2-for-5 night with three RBI at the plate and Payton chipped in a pair of hits and RBI as well on the night.

The Bats and Chasers return to action Thursday night for the Triple-A debut of one of the Reds' top pitching prospects and former second overall pick, RHP Hunter Greene. Greene. The flamethrower will get the ball against Omaha's RHP Jakob Junis (0-1, 3.86) at 8:05 p.m. ET at Werner Park.

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International League Stories from June 17, 2021


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