IL1 Louisville Bats

VanMeter Has Historic Night in 15-4 Bats Win

April 29, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Louisville Bats News Release


TOLEDO, Ohio - The Louisville Bats (10-15) defeated the Toledo Mud Hens (8-15) by a 15-4 score in Monday night's series opener at Fifth Third Field. Louisville third baseman Josh VanMeter commandeered the offensive attack with a 4-for-5 night that included three home runs, a grand slam, with eight runs batted in. The eight RBI set a new Bats single game record, tying the 1987 Redbirds' Mark Dougherty for most in a game in franchise history.

VanMeter came into tonight's game leading the International League in home runs, total bases and OPS, and was tied for second in hits, runs, RBI and extra-base hits. After his historic night against the Mud Hens, VanMeter now leads the league in each of those seven major offensive categories in a truly unprecedented start for a Bats hitter.

The scoring started in the top of the first, when Louisville's 1-2-3 hitters Nick Senzel, VanMeter and Rob Refsnyder all recorded hits off Toledo starting pitcher, lefty Nick Ramirez (0-1, 2.25), who was tagged with the loss. Bats starting pitcher, right-hander Jose Lopez (2-2, 5.63) earned the win, going 5.0 innings and giving up four runs.

VanMeter's first homer of the night came in the second inning, a three-run blast that scored Senzel and Sherman Johnson to give the lead back to the Bats, 4-1. His second homer of the night came in the fifth inning, a grand slam that put the Bats up by a 9-4 score. VanMeter's second homer made it his third multi-homer game of the 2019 season already, accounting for three-fourths of Louisville's multi-homer games as a team this season, with Brian O'Grady accounting for the other. VanMeter also became the first Bat with a three-run and four-run home run in the same game since Aaron Herr accomplished the feat on August 9, 2007.

The offensive firepower kept burning for the Bats, tacking on three more runs in both the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, Refsnyder drove in VanMeter with a triple, and O'Grady hit a two-run homer to put the Bats up 12-4. Senzel crushed a home run of his own, a two-run shot in the ninth, his first of the 2019 season. Not to be overlooked by VanMeter's unbelievable performance, Senzel and O'Grady registered three and four hits, respectively, in Monday night's offensive barrage that saw the Bats score a season-high 15 runs.

VanMeter finished off the historic night with a solo blast in the ninth inning, going back-to-back with Senzel for his third home run of the night. VanMeter became just the sixth player in Louisville franchise history, and the third in Bats history (since 2000), to hit three home runs in a game, and the first since Brandon Dixon on August 20, 2017.

Louisville relievers Jesus Reyes, Sal Romano and Ian Krol combined for 4.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to assure the Bats their 10th win of the season and capping off what was a career night for VanMeter, who is now batting .370 on the season with a league-leading 11 home runs and 28 RBI.

The Bats will get their opportunity to provide an encore performance in game two of the series tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m., with right-hander OdrisamerDespaigne (1-1, 5.40) expected to start for Louisville and right-hander Kyle Funkhouser (0-3, 9.22) slated to pitch for Toledo.

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International League Stories from April 29, 2019


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