De-Le-Long-Gone as Bats Walk Off Indy on Grand Slam

LOUISVILLE, KY – Michael De Leon launched a towering, walkoff grand slam with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning to send the Louisville Bats to a 9-5 win over the Indianapolis Indians Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.

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Brandon Finnegan struck out Jared Oliva with the bases loaded in the top of the 10th in a clutch, scoreless performance that kept the contest knotted at 5-5.

After Logan Morrison reached on an error to put runners on the corners for the Bats in the final frame, Indianapolis intentionally walked Alfredo Rodriguez to load the bases with no outs. De Leon then stepped to the plate, watched one pitch sail by out of the zone and absolutely unloaded on the second offering from Braeden Ogle for the Bats’ first walkoff victory of the season.

Louisville originally took a three-run lead in the first when Logan Morrison doubled home Mallex Smith and Alejo Lopez on a liner to right, and Beau Taylor rapped into a groundout that allowed Morrison to come plateward.

TJ Friedl homered in the fourth and added a second run two innings later when he reached on a bunt single, swiped second and raced all the way home on consecutive errors fielding the throwdown by the Tribe’s second baseman and centerfielder.

Indianapolis mounted a comeback over the seventh and eighth, capping the five-run rally by scoring the tying run on a passed ball.

Reds rehabbing righty Jeff Hoffman tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in his first appearance with the Bats.

Louisville and Indianapolis continue their six-game series Wednesday at Louisville Slugger Field at 7 p.m. Top prospect RHP Hunter Greene (0-1, 9.00) will make his Bats home debut against RHP Cody Ponce (0-2, 5.46).