Bats Drop Wild Finale To Jumbo Shrimp 9-8

In a game that featured both teams losing multi-run leads, several errors, and overall chaotic play, the Louisville Bats faltered late and suffered a 9-8 loss in 10 innings in the finale of a six-game series at Louisville Slugger Field on Sunday afternoon.

Following a wild nine innings that saw a combined 16 runs, 29 hits, and eight errors, the game entered extra innings with the score tied 8-8. After pitching the final two innings in Saturday’s win, Alan Busenitz (L. 5-4) was called on to pitch the 10^th inning for Louisville. The Jumbo Shrimp struck against him, with a double from Will Banfield off the left field wall giving Jacksonville the lead at 9-8. In the bottom of the frame, an infield single from Ivan Johnson put runners on the corners for the Bats with nobody out. But Jacksonville closer Austin Roberts (S, 1) got a pop up for the first out before inducing a game-ending double play from Erik Gonzalez, finishing the win for the visitors.

The game started much better than it ended for the Bats, who no time in striking first against rehabbing Miami Marlins southpaw Ryan Weathers in the opening frame. Jordan reached with a one-out single and advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw from Weathers. Two hitters later, Davis Wendzel’s shallow single into center was enough to score Jordan from second. P.J. Higgins then singled, and Joey Wiemer did the same with a ground ball up the middle, plating Wendel. Johnson looked to hit into an inning-ending ground out, but a wild throw from Jumbo Shrimp third baseman Bennett Hostetler gave Higgins the opportunity to score.

An inning later, the Bats took advantage of another Jumbo Shrimp error, this time by Diego Infante with a dropped fly ball in left field, letting Francisco Urbaez score after he started the inning with a double.

Jacksonville finally got on the board against David Buchanan in the fourth, cutting the Louisville lead in half on an RBI double from Hostetler and an RBI single by Harrison Spohn. Edwin Rios continued his torrid pace in the bottom of the frame, lining a 401-foot solo blast over the fence and onto the berm in left-center field for his 19^th home run of the season and fifth of the series against Jacksonville to make it 5-2.

Buchanan couldn’t escape the fifth in his Bats debut. Five of the first six men he faced in the fifth recorded hits, turning a 5-2 Bats lead into a 6-5 Jacksonville edge before Justus Sheffield got the final two outs of the inning. Buchanan ended with six runs against on 14 hits, the most hits allowed by a Bats starter this season.

Sheffield got through the sixth unscathed, and the Bats again were able to respond in the bottom of the sixth, this time against reliever Angel Macuare. A single and another error put runners on first and second with nobody out. Jacob Hurtubise looked to sacrifice bunt the runners over, but the Jumbo Shrimp throw was wide for an error, allowing Urbaez to score the tying run. Levi Jordan then put the Bats back in front 7-6 with a sacrifice fly.

Brooks Crawford earned a hold with a scoreless top of the seventh. Urbaez go the Bats lead back up to two with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Facing Louisville lefty Reiver Sanmartin in the eighth, the Jumbo Shrimp rallied to tie the game, taking advantage of a couple Louisville errors to bring the score to 8-8.

Zach Maxwell and Luarbert Arias (W, 7-6) traded zeroes in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings, where Jacksonville would prevail. For the Bats, Johnson and Urbaez each recorded three hits in the loss, while seven of the nine Louisville starters recorded at least one hit.

The Bats (62-75, 24-39 second half) hit the road for the final time this season, heading to Des Moines, Iowa for a six-game series against the Iowa Cubs. First pitch at Principal Park is scheduled for 7:38 p.m. on Tuesday night. Nick Curran will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.