Mud Hens Homer by PawSox 4-0
Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket starter Brandon Workman allowed only four hits in seven innings but all of them left the ballpark and three Toledo pitchers combined on a six-hitter as the Mud Hens blanked the PawSox, 4-0, Wednesday night in front of 2,822 fans at McCoy Stadium.
Workman (1-1) retired 19 of the first 21 batters he faced through 6.1 dominant innings, but then allowed solo home runs to three of the final five men to bat against him. In seven plus innings of work, Workman allowed four runs with one walk and five strikeouts in the longest outing for a Pawtucket pitcher this season.
Toledo (13-20) has taken two of the first three games in the series from the PawSox (19-15), who lost consecutive games for the first time since April 17-18. Pawtucket's offense has been limited to only one run over the last 21 innings in the series.
Mike Hessman, the active home run leader in all of Minor League Baseball, slammed two solo homers against Workman to open the scoring, the 396th and 397th of his MiLB career. The first came leading off the second inning, a drive into the left field bullpen on a 3-2 pitch.
After Mud Hens starter Kyle Lobstein (2-3) and Workman continued to match zeros through six innings, Hessman got to Workman again in the seventh with a shot that went just inside the foul pole in left to make the score 2-0. Tyler Collins and Ben Guez hit back-to-back homers against Workman to chase him from the mound in the eighth.
Lobstein lasted 6.1 innings and permitted only four hits and one walk, striking out nine in winning his second straight start without allowing a run. Chad Smith (1 2/3 innings pitched) and Jose Ortega (one inning) finished the shutout.
Ryan Roberts and Alex Hassan each had two of Pawtucket's six hits. Alex Wilson and Chris Hernandez each tossed a scoreless inning in relief of Workman.
Pawtucket, which has not lost a series this season, will try to avoid dropping three of four as they play the the series finale Thursday afternoon at 12:05 pm. Right-hander Rubby De La Rosa (1-2, 2.48) is scheduled to start for the PawSox, while righty Drew VerHagen (0-4, 5.65) is slated to start for the Indians.
Good seats are still available at the McCoy Stadium box office, by calling (401) 724-7300 or by visiting pawsox.com. Radio coverage on 920 AM (WHJJ) and also streaming online begins at 11:50 am.