Reeling from a three-game losing streak, the Mud Hens were looking to get back on track with a win over the Gwinnett Braves after dropping the first of a four-game series. Guided by Jason Krizan's four hits and one home run, the Mud Hens were able to do just that
Reeling from a three-game losing streak, the Mud Hens were looking to get back on track with a win over the Gwinnett Braves after dropping the first of a four-game series. Guided by Jason Krizan's four hits and one home run, the Mud Hens were able to do just that with a 5-1 victory.
Matthew Boyd got the ball for Toledo and went four innings of strong pitching prior to being removed. In those four innings, he struck out six and allowed just two hits while allowing zero runs.
Matt Wisler was on the mound for Gwinnett and couldn't avoid the Mud Hens bats. Across 5.1 innings pitched, the right-hander allowed ten hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out just three.
The game began in a bit of a pitcher's duel, with each team scattering just a couple of hits through the first three innings.
In the bottom of the fourth however, the Toledo offense began to break out. Michael Almanzar led off with a walk and Jason Krizan and Omar Infante followed up to load the bases with no one out. A Bryan Holaday sacrifice fly helped the Mud Hens scratch across the first run of the game. Juan Perez followed with a single, but the lead held at 1-0.
It didn't take long for Gwinnett to strike back when Ruben Alaniz entered from the Mud Hens bullpen. Sean Kazmar Jr. grabbed his second single of the game and crossed home after a triple from Anthony Recker to make the game a 1-1 tie.
The pitchers settled in through the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth, but the Mud Hens were able to strike once again in the bottom half of the sixth.
Jason Krizan blasted a home run to right field for his third of the season and that wasn't all for Toledo. Infante singled again and Brendan Ryan reached on an error to put two runners on. David Peterson entered the game for Gwinnett and promptly hit two batters -- Perez and JaCoby Jones -- in a row to make it a 3-1 game. With the bases still loaded, Efren Navarro pushed across two more with a single to right field.
Blaine Hardy tredged on in the seventh inning by retiring the Braves in short order, opening up the opportunity for the Mud Hens bats to expand on the lead.
A Krizan lead off single helped to set the table and he moved up to second on a passed ball. Holaday added a single of his own to put runners on the corners with just one out, but Braves reliever Dan Winkler was able to add a strikeout and a popout to get out of it.
The Braves tried to mount a comeback in the top of the eighth off of Jeff Ferrell, leading off with a double from Xavier Avery. A key groundout and a pair of strikeouts got him out of the initial trouble however, and the game stood at 5-1.
Edward Mujica entered the game in a non-save situation in the bottom of the ninth and was able to get the job done and send the Fifth Third Field crowd home happy.
The Mud Hens continue their home stand against the Braves on Wednesday afternoon. Matt Crouse is scheduled to take the mound; first pitch is set for 12:05.
