The Mud Hens handed the smackdown to the visiting Durham Bulls on Saturday night to even the series with the International League South leaders. Their 5-2 victory provided was much-needed after previously losing four straight.
The Mud Hens handed the smackdown to the visiting Durham Bulls on Saturday night to even the series with the International League South leaders. Their 5-2 victory provided was much-needed after previously losing four straight.
The Mud Hens handed the smackdown to the visiting Durham Bulls on Saturday night to even the series with the International League South leaders. Their 5-2 victory was much-needed after previously losing four straight.
Toledo starter Matthew Boyd took his offense's five runs of support and ran with it, allowing the Bulls - one of just two teams in the IL with 40 wins - only two runs on five hits. The lefty struck out eight while walking just one through 6.2 innings. His one run allowed came on a solo shot off the bat Curt Casali in the fifth. He has won in each of his last two starts and lowered his earned run average to 3.32.
The Hens got the scoring going in the third when Tyler Collins lined a ball of Durham starter Yonny Chirinos' leg and into foul territory and helped him reach first safely. Collins was not at first long as Bryan Holaday singled into left to put two runners on. Station-to-station baseball took place beginning with a sacrifice bunt by Brendan Ryan that moved each runner up a base. Matt den Dekker's ensuing fly ball to center did not appear to be deep enough for Collins to tag up, but Bulls outfielders Ryan Brett and Johnny Field ran into each other trying to catch it and he trotted home easily.
Sending eight men to the plate, the Hens put up four runs in the sixth. With den Dekker on second after a leadoff double, JaCoby Jones singled up the middle to bring him in and swing the lead in favor of the Hens. Navarro's double afforded Jones the opportunity to score all the way from second, making it 3-1 Toledo. Durham's Chirinos set two down but Argenis Diaz smacked a double off the fence in left-center to bring in Navarro to make it 4-1. Collins brought Diaz in with his second single of the game.
Boyd's last inning of work began with two quick outs, but a single by Casey Gillaspie prompted a mound visit by Hens manager Mike Rojas. Rojas left him in but paid for it when pinch hitter Michael McKenry doubled off the wall in center to bring in Gillaspie. Rojas walked right back out to the mound and replaced Boyd with Jeff Ferrell, who finished the frame while stranding Boyd's last potential run on second.
The series finale with Durham will be Sunday at 6:05 p.m.
