Big swings, big win

The Toledo Mud Hens opened their home series against the St. Paul Saints with a 12–4 victory. Scott Effross picked up the win in relief, improving to 2–0 on the year, while the Hens improved to 31–32 overall.

The Hens made quick work of the top of the 1st, retiring the Saints in order. In the bottom half, Max Clark drew a walk before Hao-Yu Lee followed with a single to left field. Gage Workman then stepped up and launched a ball 109 mph off the bat over the center-field wall for a three-run homer, giving Toledo an early 3–0 lead.

St. Paul began to chip away in the top of the 3rd. Tanner Schobel singled on a line drive into shallow center field, and Noah Cardenas followed with a walk. Kaelen Culpepper then reached on an infield single to third, loading the bases. With one out, Kyler Fedko grounded into a force play that scored Schobel, though Culpepper was retired at second. The Saints trimmed the deficit to 3–1.

The Saints added another run in the top of the 4th. Gabriel Gonzalez worked a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch from Tyler Lockhart. Matt Wallner grounded out to first, allowing Gonzalez to move up to third. Aaron Sabato then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing Gonzalez home and making it a 3–2 game.

Toledo responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. Ben Malgeri doubled into the left-center field gap before Max Anderson lined a single into center, scoring Malgeri and restoring the two-run advantage. After Trei Cruz moved Anderson to second with a groundout, Eduardo Valencia drove a double high off the right-field wall to plate another run and make it 5–2. The inning wasn't over yet, as Corey Julks launched a two-run homer to left field, scoring Valencia and extending the Hens' lead to 7–2 after four innings.

The offense stayed hot in the 6th. Trei Cruz led off with a sharp double into center field and later advanced to third on Eduardo Valencia's groundout to second. Jace Jung followed with a single into left field, bringing Cruz home and pushing the lead to 8–2.

St. Paul made one more push in the top of the 7th. Ben Ross drew a walk before Tanner Schobel connected on a two-run home run to left field, cutting Toledo's lead to 8–4.

The Hens answered with their biggest swing of the night in the bottom half of the inning. Max Anderson started the rally with a walk, and Trei Cruz followed with a single up the middle. Eduardo Valencia then loaded the bases with a shallow single to center field. Jace Jung stepped in and put the game away, crushing a grand slam to left field and putting an exclamation point on Toledo's night.

The score remained 12–4 the rest of the way as the Hens secured the series-opening win. Toledo and St. Paul will meet again tomorrow night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. A familiar face will take the mound for the Hens, as Justin Verlander is set to make a rehab start.

Notables:

     Hitting:
                        
                        

Jace Jung

2-4 (HR, 5 RBI, R)

Gage Workman

2-5 (HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)