Bats Avoid Sweep, Beat Stripers 5-4 In Finale

Gwinnett’s offense kept at bay despite late comeback attempt

Dominic Pitelli scored two of the Bats' five runs in Sunday's win. (David Sutherland/Louisville Bats)

By Louisville Bats/Ben Teitel

August 30, 2026

The Louisville Bats won the series finale and avoid the six-game sweep against the Gwinnett Stripers with a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at Slugger Field. After a quiet first inning on both sides, the Stripers got on the board first with a home run by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. The

The Louisville Bats won the series finale and avoid the six-game sweep against the Gwinnett Stripers with a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at Slugger Field.

After a quiet first inning on both sides, the Stripers got on the board first with a home run by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. The solo shot off of Louisville starter Jose Acuna put Gwinnett up 1-0 and solidified their streak of scoring first in every game of the series against the Bats.

After a clean inning by Acuna in the third, the Bats' offense caught fire in their half, plating two off a screaming double by Jay Allen II, resulting in the Bats claiming a 2-1 lead. Those baserunners came from a leadoff double by P.J. Higgins and a bunt single by Dominic Pitelli.

Acuna’s day ended after 3.0 innings, where he gave up one run on one hit, striking out three and walking two in an effective, but brief start.

Darius Vines (W, 1-0) came in for the second time of the series, and the bases became loaded with nobody out. Luckily for Louisville, Vines got out of it with a strikeout, followed by an inning-ending double play to keep Gwinnett scoreless in the inning and preserve the Bats’ 2-1 lead.

Louisville added some insurance via a single by Juan Brito that scored Pitelli from second, who stole second earlier in the at-bat, stretching the lead out to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth.

Stripers starter JR Ritchie (L, 6-4) exited the game after going 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking four and striking out three. He exited the game with runners on first and third in the sixth, one of which came home due to a single by Higgins, giving the Bats a 4-1 lead going into the seventh inning.

Gwinnett did not go quietly, however, as they scored two off an RBI triple by Jim Jarvis to keep themselves within striking distance of the Bats' lead late into the game, 4-3.

In the late game, the Stripers continued to threaten, but superb clutch pitching by Zach McCambley kept the tying run off the board in the seventh and eighth, despite having multiple runners in scoring position. He finished with a final line of 1.1 innings pitched, allowing no runs or hits and striking out one and walking three.

To add an insurance run, Allen II drove in another with an infield single, stretching the lead for the Bats once again to make it 5-3.

Hunter Parks (SV, 8) came in for the ninth, and after Gwinnett scored one via an errant throw by Higgins on a double steal, he shut the door on the Stripers to snap Louisville’s six-game losing streak with a 5-4 win in the series finale.

Vines earned his first win with the Bats against his old team, and Parks got his eighth save. Ritchie took the loss for the Stripers in his starting bid. Four Louisville players had multi-hit performances, and although pitching walked 10 total Gwinnett players, the Bats came away victorious.

The Bats (58-72, 19-38 2^nd half) head down to Tennessee to take on the Nashville Sounds on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 7:35 pm EST. Nick Curran will be on the call on Sports Talk 790.