Bats Bash Back In 11-4 Victory Over Clippers

The Louisville Bats scored 11 unanswered runs after trailing early to earn a 11-4 win over the Columbus Clippers in the opener of a six-game series on Tuesday night at Huntington Park.

With the win, the Bats have now won seven of their last eight games, including a season-high four-game winning streak to improve to four games over .500 for the first time this season at 22-18.

The Clippers got on the board early, scoring four in the bottom of the first against Bats starter Connor Phillips. With two runners on base, Johnathan Rodriguez singled to right to bring the first run home. George Valera then launched a three-run home run over the right field fence to extend their lead to 4-0.

The Bats quickly answered in the following frame. Nick Martini led the inning off with a walk followed by a single by Levi Jordan. A fielding error loaded the bases and a wild pitch brought the lead runner home. Back-to-back walks forced in another run to cut Columbus’ lead in half at 4-2.

Louisville led the next inning off by reaching base on a fielding error, walk and a single. With the bases loaded, Erik González singled off the second base bag, allowing two runs to cross home plate, tying the game at four. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Blake Dunn scored Jordan to give the Bats a 5-4 lead.

Louisville starter Connor Phillips pitched 4.1 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits and five walks. He struck out a season-high six batters in a no-decision. Justin Bruihl (W, 3-0) entered with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and quickly got through the jam, inducing an inning ending double play from George Valera to hold the 5-4 lead.

Columbus threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded, but Bats reliever Tony Santillan was able to get out of the jam with an inning ending double play, again holding the one-run lead.

Martini led the following inning off with a walk, his third of the game. Jordan reached base after being hit by a pitch. Back-to-back singles by González and Dunn brought home two runs. With two on and one out, Livan Soto crushed his first home run with the Bats and second of the season, extending Louisville’s lead to 10-4 and putting the game out of reach.

The Bats scratched across another run in the top of ninth inning Martini crossed home on a wild pitch. Brooks Kriske got the final four outs of the game, allowing no runs and helping secure the 11-4 win.

Martini starred at the plate, going 1-for-2 with three walks while scoring four runs, the most by a Bats player in a single game this season. Jordan was 2-for-4 with three runs scored. After giving up four runs in the first, the Bats held the Clippers silent for the rest of the night.

Louisville (22-18) will continue the series against Columbus (16-23) on Wednesday, May 15 with the second of six games vs. the Clippers. First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. ET. with Nick Curran on the call for 1450/96.1 WXVW.