The Durham Bulls bombed the Louisville Bats 8-1 Saturday night in the Governors’ Cup semifinals to even their International League playoff series at 2-all and force a decisive fifth game Sunday at 5:05 p.m. at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. A win would keep the Bats alive in the IL playoffs, while a loss would end their remarkable season.
The Louisville Bats won a game, beating the Indianapolis Indians 6-3 at Louisville Slugger Field, and also won their third straight International League West title Monday afternoon thanks to Toledo’s 5-2 win over Columbus on the final day of the IL regular season. Louisville scored five runs in the first three innings and got a solid start from Ben Jukich, left, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. The Bats open postseason play Wednesday against Durham at 6:05 p.m. at Louisville Slugger Field.
Louisville left-hander Ben Jukich, left, threw seven solid innings, giving up three hits while walking one and striking out seven over seven innings in the Bats' 8-3 win at Toledo on Wednesday night. The victory kept Louisville a half-game behind Columbus in the International League West, but gave them a four game lead over Syracuse in the IL wildcard race with five games to play.
Highly-touted pitching prospect Aroldis Chapman (left) a threw a 105 mile-per hour fastball, and struck out the side, in the top of the ninth inning then Danny Dorn made a key baserunning play and Wilkin Castillo delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth as Louisville beat Columbus 2-1 at Louisville Slugger Field. The victory gives the Bats a 1 1/2-game lead over the Clippers in the International League West with 10 games to play.
The host Indianapolis Indians scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 4-2 victory over the Louisville Bats on Sunday afternoon. However despite the loss Louisville maintained its half-game lead over Columbus in the International League West because the Clippers lost to Toledo on Sunday evening.
In their first home game since Aug. 8 the Louisville Bats extended their franchise-record home winning streak to 12 games with an 8-5 victory over Syracuse on Tuesday night. Yonder Alonso, left, led Louisville at the plate with three hits and three RBIs as the Bats stayed within 2 1/2 games of Columbus in the International League West.
Wladimir Balentien's two-run double in the top of the ninth gave he Louisville Bats an 8-7 win over host Toledo at Fifth Third Field as they improved to 9-2 in one-run games in July and August. Balentien, left, went 3-for-5 with five RBIs.
Drew Sutton's RBI-single in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Louisville Bats a 3-2 win - their 10th in a row - over International League West-leading Columbus on Sunday night at Louisville Slugger Field. Louisville's third walk-off win of the season moved the Bats within 6 1/2 games of the division-leading Clippers.
A first-inning grand slam by Wladimir Balentien, left, got the Louisville Bats' offense going early, and it was just the beginning, as Louisville lambasted Charlotte 19-6 Tuesday night at Louisville Slugger Field. The Bats also seven runs in the fifth inning and six in the seventh on their way to their fifth straight win.
The Charlotte Knights limited the Louisville Bats, who had 26 hits in their previous two games, to only four hits Wednesday night in a 2-1 win at Knights Stadium as the Bats fell back below .500 for the season.
The Louisville Bats swept a doubleheader from the Indianapolis Indians on Monday night, winning 6-0 and 1-0 in a pair of seven-inning games. It's the first time all season the Bats have had back-to-back shutouts.
