Toledo falls in finale, splits series with Buffalo

Depiste a late-game rally, the Toledo Mud Hens were unable to overcome an early seven-run deficit and fell to the Buffalo Bisons, 7-5, at Fifth Third Field in a Monday afternoon contest.

The game seemed primed to play out as a pitchers duel after both sides were retired in order in the opening frame. But the game's tone turned in the top of the second as Buffalo rattled off 8 consecutive hits in en route to a seven-run output to take a commanding land.

It was a rough outing for starting pitcher Jon Link who surrendered seven runs through one inning. Robbie Weinhardt took over for Link in the second and fared much better. The right-handed reliever shutout Buffalo through 4 2/3 and gave up six hits.

Toledo responded in the second inning when Danny Dorn smashed a leadoff round tripper into The Roost for his 21st homerun of the season. The Hens chipped away at the lead again in the seventh when Danny Worth reached home as Argenis Diaz beat out a potential inning-ending double play. Diaz advanced to third on two wild pitches and was then driven in by Avisail Garcia, who has now hit successfully in 24 of his last 26 games.

The lead was cut to two in the eighth on a Worth double to left-center which scored Ben Guez and Dorn. Worth went 2-for-4 on the day with 2 RBI and was one of three Hens, along with Nick Castellanos and Dorn, to produce a multi-hit game.

Former Mud Hen Thad Weber pitched well in his return to Fifth Third Field after a three-year stint in Toledo from 2010-2012. Weber gave Buffalo 6 2/3 strong innings and allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out seven for his fifth win of the season.

Monday's bout concluded the four-game series between Toledo and Buffalo, which was split 2-2. The Hens will commence another four-game series against Durham at 7:00 on Tuesday