CHARLOTTE, NC- The Toledo Mud Hens collected their third win of this road trip by shutting out the Charlotte Knights at BB&T Ballpark by a score of 4-0.
CHARLOTTE, NC- The Toledo Mud Hens collected their third win of this road trip by shutting out the Charlotte Knights at BB&T Ballpark by a score of 4-0.
Toledo (43-29) starter, Jacob Turner, went a season high six innings and collected the win. The veteran righty lasted 3.1 innings without giving up a hit. In total, he surrendered three hits, and kept to Charlotte (32-40) off of the board. This was Turner's first outing this season where he threw long enough to get a win
The Mud Hens attack could not have started any quicker, as Mikie Mahtook sent the first pitch of the game very high to left. It barely peeked over the fence for his seventh homer of the year. The next three hitters struck out, ending the Toledo rally. Things started up again immediately in the second, as back to back doubles from Jim Adduci and Chad Huffman pushed another run across.
Both sides fell relatively quiet until the bottom of the fifth. A double from Charlotte's nine hole hitter, Eddy Alvarez, put runners on second and third with two away. Former Mud Hen Alex Presley proceeded to put a ball on the ground to Jason Krizan, and Turner escaped the inning with the shutout still in tact.
Charlotte starter Spencer Adams had the Mud Hens number for most of the game. Outside of the two early runs, he struck out six Toledo batters. He was removed in the seventh after loading the bases. Jeanmar Gómez replaced him with one out, and struck out Jarrod Saltalamacchia. With two down and the bases full, Harold Castro came through with an infield single, giving the Mud Hens a three run lead.
The Knights were tasked with getting something going off of Paul Voelker in their half of the seventh. A strikeout, groundout, and flyout later, Voelker had set them down in order. Daniel Stumpf came out for his second rehab appearance in the eighth inning and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
In the Hens half of the eighth, Mike Gerber opened things up by reaching second on an error. A wild pitch got him to third, and Adduci drove him in on his third hit of the ball game. They were quiet in the ninth, but three outs away from shutting out the Knights.
It was Kevin Comer coming out of the Hen Pen for the ninth inning. Harold Castro took charge to catch a pop up on the infield for out number one. Eloy Jiménez was the next batter, and he drew a seven pitch walk. However, Comer bounced back by striking out Matt Skole. Seby Zavala strode up with two down and he struck out. The Hens win in shutout fashion.
What's Next:
The Mud Hens get set for game two in North Carolina on Saturday against the Charlotte Knights. First pitch from BB&T Ballpark is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2018 Propsect Watch):
10. OF Christin Stewart: 0-for-4 1
1. OF Mike Gerber: 0-for-5, run
12. IF Dawel Lugo: 0-for-4
15. RHP Grayson Long: DNP (DL)
16. RHP Bryan Garcia: DNP (DL)
18. LHP Tyler Alexander: DNP
30. RHP Artie Lewicki: DNP
Hens Notes:
• Adduci has recorded a hit in 17 consecutive road games, which stands as the International League's longest active streak.
• The Mud Hens still have not been shutout this season, but have now recorded eight shutouts in 2018.
• With the win, Toledo is now 3-1 on this current road trip. A win in either of the next two games ensures they return home with a winning record from the trip.
• Before Mikie Mahtook's lead-off homerun, the last time it happened was on May 11th of 2018, when Ronny Rodríguez sent a ball deep in an away game against Louisville.
