Bats Walk Off With Wild 3-2 Victory

The Louisville Bats got a dominant performance from the bullpen and great defense when it mattered most before walking off for a 3-2 win over the Columbus Clippers on Sunday afternoon at Louisville Slugger Field to earn a split of the six-game series.

With the score tied at two going to extra innings, the Bats defense was strong to keep the tie. Leading off, Dom Nunez tried for a sacrifice bunt, but it was snagged on the fly by reliever Justin Bruihl (W, 1-0). The Bats lefty quickly fired to second, catching automatic runner Lorenzo Cedrola off second for a double play. Following a two-out double, Myles Straw hit a hard liner to first that was snared by leaping Bats first baseman P.J. Higgins, saving a run to keep the score even.

In the bottom of the inning, a sacrifice bunt and a pair of walks loaded the bases for the Bats with one out against Clippers reliever Randy Labaut (L, 1-2). With Francisco Urbaez at the plate, Labaut’s 2-0 pitch was wild and got away from the catcher, allowing pinch-runner Blake Dunn to stroll home with the winning run.

Making his second start of the series, Bats righty Connor Phillips made quick work of the Clippers over the first two innings. The third inning was troublesome for Phillips, as the Clippers raced ahead on an RBI triple from Straw followed by Daniel Schneemann’s single to make it 2-0. Spiers was pulled in the third after allowing two runs on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 2.2 innings.

Louisville began the comeback with one out in the fourth on a blistering solo home run from Conner Capel that left his bat at 110 miles per hour and traveled an estimated 408 feet onto the roof of the Humana Cabana in right field, his team-leading sixth homer of the season.

An inning later, the Bats loaded the bases with one out and were able to tie the game on Capel’s sacrifice fly, scoring home Erik Gonzalez, who began the inning with an infield single.

Entering in long relief for the Bats in the third, Carson Spiers was excellent in his first outing since being optioned to Louisville from the Reds earlier in the week. In the longest outing from a Bats reliever this season, Spiers threw 4.1 scoreless innings, striking out three to keep the 2-2 tie going to the seventh.

In the eighth, rehabbing Reds southpaw Sam Moll worked around a leadoff walk and a wild pitch to throw a scoreless frame. Tony Santillan then set the Clippers down in order in the ninth. Labaut did the same for the Clippers, sending the game to extra innings where the Bats emerged victorious.

With the win, the Bats are now 6-2 in one run games in 2024, with all seven wins coming by two or fewer runs. Offensively, Capel drove in two of the three runs in a 2-for-4 performance while Levi Jordan added two hits and two walks in the triumph.

The Bats (7-8) hit the road on Tuesday to begin a six-game series with the Iowa Cubs. First pitch at Principal Park is scheduled for 7:38 p.m. Nick Curran will be on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.