Red Wings’ Pitching Stifles Mud Hens in 4-1 Victory

A day after the Rochester Red Wings and Toledo Mud Hens split a quasi-doubleheader, Rochester put themselves back into the win column with a 4-1 win Friday night, solidifying at least a series split. Offensively, DH Travis Blankenhorn tied the team lead with his third home run of the season, a go-ahead two-run shot into dead center field in the bottom of the sixth. LHP DJ Herz held the Mud Hens to just one hit through the first 5.0 innings, and three Rochester relievers combined to hold Toledo scoreless through the final 4.0 innings to preserve the win.

The Red Wings and the Mud Hens were both held scoreless through the first two innings. Toledo C Dillon Dingler broke the scoreless tie in the third by smashing a 106.9 MPH, 428-foot solo home run to give the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead.

After four scoreless innings, the Red Wings broke into the run column in the bottom of the fifth inning. Two errors committed by Toledo created an opportunity for SS Jack Dunn, who drove a single into right field that scored RF Alex Call from second base, tying the score at 1-1.

Rochester took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a leadoff single from 1B Juan Yepez, DH Travis Blankenhorn mashed a 430-foot two-run home run to give the Red Wings a 3-1 lead, the Wings’ farthest homer of the season. 2B Trey Lipscomb reached on a single to right field in the following at-bat and moved to second base on a passed ball. Another passed ball allowed him to move to third base, and an errant throw to on the same play allowed Lipscomb to cross the plate and extend the Red Wings' lead to 4-1, a lead they would not surrender.

Red Wings’ relievers held Toledo to just one hit over the final 3.0 innings, allowing just one baserunner to advance into scoring position. RHP Jacob Barnes came on to close the door in the ninth for his second save of the season, tossing 13 pitches to ensure a 4-1 win.

Southpaw DJ Herz made his third start for the Red Wings Friday night. The former Chicago Cub farmhand logged 5.0 innings, allowing one run on one hit while striking out five batters and walking none. This was the fourth time in his professional career that he has tossed at least 5.0 innings without issuing a walk. He was replaced in the top of the sixth inning by RHP Rico Garcia. The Hawaii native threw 1.2 hitless innings in relief while striking out two batters and walking two. LHP Richard Bleier replaced Garcia with two runners on base in the top of the seventh inning and escaped the jam without allowing a run to score. RHP Amos Willingham replaced Bleier in the top of the eighth and also kept the Mud Hens off the board, allowing only one hit across 1.0 inning. Jacob Barnes entered to close out the game in the ninth and fanned two of the three batters he faced en route to his seventh consecutive scoreless outing.

The Diamond Pro Player of the Game goes to LHP DJ Herz. The 23-year old logged his longest outing of the season, allowing only one earned on one hit and striking out five batters across 5.0 innings. This is the ninth time in his professional career that he has allowed one hit or fewer through at least 5.0 innings of work, and first time since August 16, 2023, at Richmond (SF) with Double-A Harrisburg.

The Red Wings look to secure their second series victory of the season Saturday afternoon, as they take on Toledo for game five of six in the series. RHP Thaddeus Ward (0-1, 7.71) is set to take the mound for the Red Wings and LHP Bryan Sammons will toe the rubber for Toledo. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

Find the box score attached here.