Bats Set New Franchise Record, Fall 8-5 to St. Paul
PAUL, MN – The Louisville Bats (59-50) set a new single season franchise record for home runs but lost 8-5 to the St. Paul Saints (64-46) on Thursday night. On a night where the Bats hit three home runs, Matt Reynolds launched the 167th homer of the campaign for the
PAUL, MN – The Louisville Bats (59-50) set a new single season franchise record for home runs but lost 8-5 to the St. Paul Saints (64-46) on Thursday night.
On a night where the Bats hit three home runs, Matt Reynolds launched the 167th homer of the campaign for the Bats in the top of the first inning to set a new team record for home runs in a season with 39 games still left to play.
The Bats went deep in each of the first two innings with Reynolds’ record-setting blast and Noelvi Marte’s solo shot in the second sandwiched around a Saints run to put Louisville up 2-1.
In the third, Alejo Lopez drew a walk to extend his team-best on-base streak to 40 games and Reynolds reached on an infield single to set the table for Nick Martini who laced an RBI single into right to bring Lopez around to score. Henry Ramos then stepped up and sent a sacrifice fly deep into left to score Reynolds and give the Bats a 4-1 advantage.
The Saints tacked on a run in both the third and fourth innings before scoring five runs in the fifth to give them an 8-4 lead they would not relinquish.
Ramos tattooed a solo homer in the sixth that traveled a whopping 495 feet and brought the Bats back within three runs, but they would get no closer despite bringing the tying run to the plate in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings.
On the mound, the Bats got scoreless appearances in relief from Silvino Bracho (2-1, 3.58), Daniel Duarte (3-0, 3.26), and Alan Busenitz (2-1, 2.48) but were unable to keep pace with the Saints offense.
Tomorrow’s contest will feature Louisville RHP Levi Stoudt (3-3, 5.13 ERA) squaring off with the Saints’ RHP Louie Varland (6-0, 4.53 ERA) with first pitch set for 8:07 p.m. ET.