Seven-Run Fourth Propels Bats to 9-0 Win
IL Louisville Bats

Seven-Run Fourth Propels Bats to 9-0 Win

August 2, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


OMAHA, Nebraska - Thanks to a quality start by Adam Plutko (W, 4-5) and a seven-run fourth inning, the Louisville Bats coasted to a 9-0 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Saturday night, setting themselves up to play for a series split in tomorrow's finale.

The first three innings of the ballgame went by without any scoring. Plutko struck out four Storm Chasers in his first three frames, allowing just a walk and a single along the way.

The middle of the Louisville lineup turned it on in the fourth against Omaha starter Chandler Champlain (L, 3-7). Sal Stewart led off the inning with a single, and Edwin Rios followed with a walk. With the table set, Rece Hinds blasted a three-run jack 431 feet to left-center field to break the stalemate and give the Bats a 3-0 lead. Later in the inning, Blake Dunn tapped an infield single that brought home another run and put runners on the corners, and Hector Rodriguez roped Louisville's second three-run homer of the inning to center field, blowing up the lead to 7-0. The seven-run frame is tied for the team's highest-scoring inning this season.

The Storm Chasers turned to Chazz Martinez out of the bullpen, who shut down the Bats in the fifth and sixth innings while Plutko finished off his sixth scoreless frame for Louisville.

Sam Benschoter (S, 1) took over for Louisville in the bottom of the seventh, forcing a 6-4-3 double play to close out the frame. He came back out for the eighth, and it was déjà vu, as he forced yet another chopper to Levi Jordan at short, who started another inning-ending double play.

For good measure, Hinds cranked his second home run of the night in the top of the ninth, this one a two-run shot to left to make it 9-0.

Benschoter looked to close out Omaha in the ninth, and he did just that, clinching a nine-out save and sealing the game for the Bats.

For Louisville, Hinds' pair of homers and Rodriguez' blast accounted for eight of the nine runs scored. Benschoter picked up his first save of the season in relief of Plutko's impressive six scoreless innings.

The Bats (47-60, 15-16 second half) will wrap up their six-game series with the Storm Chasers (41-65, 9-22 second half) on Sunday, eyeing a series split. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. ET with Nick Curran on the call for Sports Talk 790.

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International League Stories from August 2, 2025


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