Stripers Stifled in Series Finale at Toledo

TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Gwinnett Stripers by a 5-1 score Sunday afternoon in the finale of the three-game series at Fifth-Third Field.
The win gave the Mud Hens (28-13) a 2-1 series victory and sent the Stripers (16-25) to a 2-4 mark on the six-game road trip.

Toledo struck for the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Gwinnett starter Max Fried walked Kenny Wilson and Harold Castro, then committed a throwing error to move the runners to second and third. Ronny Rodríguez then plated Wilson with a sacrifice fly to right for a 1-0 Mud Hens lead.
Gwinnett tied the game in the top of the fifth. Leadoff batter Xavier Avery struck out but took first on a passed ball by Toledo catcher Kade Scivicque. Jonathan Morales then reached first on a throwing error by Castro when the shortstop tried to force out Avery at second on a ground ball. Avery took third on the miscue and starting pitcher Josh Turley walked Peter Bourjos to load the bases with no outs. However, the only run the Stripers could score is when Austin Riley drew a bases-loaded walk, pushing across Avery for a 1-1 tie.
In the bottom of the fifth, Edwin Espinal led off with a single center off Fried. Wilson then singled to right to put two on, and both moved up a base on a ground out to second by Castro. Rodriguez followed with a deep two-out double to left, scoring both runners to put Toledo back in front 3-1.
The final two runs of the game came in the bottom of the seventh as Fried allowed a leadoff single by Espinal and Chase Whitley gave up a two-run homer to Castro (1) for a 5-1 lead.
Fried (L, 1-2) went 6.1 innings with four hits, four runs (three earned), two walks and five strikeouts. Whitley worked 1.2 innings with two hits, one earned run and one strikeout.
Turley (W, 4-1) pitched 5.0 innings with two hits, one unearned run, four walks and 10 strikeouts for the Mud Hens. Paul Voelker (H, 3) tossed 2.0 scoreless innings with two walks and a strikeout. Caleb Thielbar went 1.0 scoreless inning and Johnny Barbato worked a scoreless top of the ninth with one strikeout.
The only two Gwinnett hits were by Bourjos who led off the game with a single and finished 1-for-4, and a two-out single in the top of the third by Riley who finished 1-for-3.
Toledo was paced by Espinal who was 2-for-3 with two runs. Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Castro was 1-for-2 with a homer and two RBIs.
The Gwinnett Stripers return to Coolray Field for an eight-game homestand Monday night with the opener of a four-game series against the Durham Bulls. Right-hander Wes Parsons (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will start for Gwinnett. Durham's starting pitcher has yet to be announced. Tony Schiavone the play-by-play call on 97.7 and 93.5 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 6:35 p.m. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.