Walks Plague Bats in 9-0 Loss
IL Louisville Bats

Walks Plague Bats in 9-0 Loss

July 23, 2025 - International League (IL)
Louisville Bats News Release


LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - It was death by a thousand cuts for the Louisville Bats on Wednesday night, as they fell to the Iowa Cubs 9-0 to even their six-game set at a game apiece. Louisville pitchers walked a season-high eleven hitters, adding three hit-by-pitches as the I-Cubs scored nine runs on just five hits. Six Iowa runs scored via bases-loaded free passes as the Bats went deep into their bullpen, using six pitchers in relief of opener Reiver Sanmartin.

With Chase Petty's scheduled start pushed back to Friday, the Bats gave the ball to Sanmartin to open the ballgame. He recorded eight outs, fanning three and allowing just a single baserunner along the way before handing it over to Yosver Zulueta as the Iowa lineup rolled around to the leadoff spot. Zulueta got a two-pitch groundout to finish the third inning.

I-Cubs starter Kenta Maeda (W, 3-4) was just as strong on the hill, retiring seven of the first eight batters he faced before running into a bit of trouble late in the third. Levi Jordan singled and Hector Rodriguez walked to get the game's first runner in scoring position for either team. Maeda escaped, getting Ryan Vilade to roll over to short as the early innings came and went with no score.

Both pitching staffs remained sharp over the next couple of innings. The game remained scoreless entering the sixth as Hunter Parks (L, 0-3) trotted back to the mound for his second frame of work. He walked Christian Franklin to leadoff the inning, and after a groundout moved him to second, Franklin pulled into third on a wild pitch. Moises Ballesteros and Carlos Perez also walked, loading the bases for Iowa with one out. Parks' fourth walk of the inning brought home the game's first run and prompted Bats skipper Pat Kelly to take him out in favor of Connor Phillips. Phillips walked the first batter he faced, part of a string of 16 consecutive balls thrown by Louisville pitching, hit the next batter, and then walked one more, making it a four-run frame for the I-Cubs without having to take the bat off their shoulders. Phillips finally recorded the final two outs of the inning, mercifully ending a rough sixth for the Bats.

Louisville went down quietly in the bottom of the sixth before Evan Kravetz took the hill in the seventh. He surrendered a leadoff single and, later in the inning, a two-run blast to Jonathan Long to make it 6-0.

Lenny Torres Jr. entered for the Bats in the eighth, allowing three runs on four walks and a hit batter before Luis Mey retired the side in order in the ninth.

Dylan Hollowell finished off the Bats in the bottom of the ninth to even up the six-game set.

The lone offensive bright spot for the Bats tonight was 21-year-old Hector Rodriguez, who reached base in all four of his plate appearances. He continues to impress in his first week at the Triple-A level.

The Bats (42-56, 10-13 second half) will continue their series with the I-Cubs (50-47, 11-12 second half) with game three on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 6:35 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 23, 2025


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