Red Wings Falter Against Mud Hens In Saturday Matinée

The Rochester Red Wings dropped the fifth of their six-game series against Toledo Saturday afternoon, 9-5. DH Travis Blankenhorn and RF Alex Call each launched their co-team-leading fourth home runs of the season, while 3B Carter Kieboom and SS Jack Dunn each extended their on-base streaks to 13 and 11 games, respectively.

Neither team could break into the run column early, as Rochester left runners stranded in the first and second innings and worked their way out of a one-out, bases-loaded situation in the top of the second to keep the game at zero.

In the top of the third, the Mud Hens were able to cash in one run with an RBI double to right-center field off the bat of 1B Keston Hiura. The 391-foot line drive brought CF Akil Baddoo around to score, who had advanced into scoring position after a walk and a stolen base.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Travis Blankenhorn tied the game with a solo home run over the right field fence. The 105.3 MPH moonshot was Blankenhorn’s fourth round-tripper of the season, briefly putting the slugger atop the Red Wings' home run leaderboard.

The score remained tied at one until the top of the sixth when Toledo's Keston Hiura sent a leadoff solo home run over the left field terrace to give the Mud Hens a 2-1 lead.

Toledo SS Andrew Navigato followed suit in the top of the seventh inning with a leadoff solo home run of his own to start what would be a four-run inning for the Mud Hens. A pair of Baddoo and DH Justyn-Henry Malloy doubles led to a two-RBI single from 2B Jace Jung, bringing Baddoo and Malloy around to score. Hiura reached first base on a fielder’s choice in the next at-bat. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch and was brought home by LF Bligh Madris, who knocked a ground-ball RBI single to right field. Toledo ended the seventh inning with an imposing 6-1 lead.

With no answer from Rochester, the Mud Hens added three more runs in the top of the ninth. Hiura notched his third hit of the game with a fly-ball single to center field and would eventually touch home for the third time, scoring from second base on a right-field single by C Anthony Bemboom. 3B Ryan Vilade immediately followed with a two-run shot to left field, sending Toledo to the bottom of the ninth with a 9-1 lead.

Red Wings fans saw a glimmer of hope in the bottom of the ninth after a 3B Carter Kieboom single and back-to-back walks to SS Jack Dunn and C Onix Vega, which loaded the bases with no outs. Next at-bat, Alex Call launched Rochester’s first grand slam of the season, clearing the bases with a 404-foot smash to left-center field. The homer was Call’s fourth of the season, pulling him even with Blankenhorn for the team lead. Rochester would continue to battle but ultimately came up short, stranding CF James Wood and 1B Juan Yepez on first and second base. Toledo solidified their second win of the series, taking the game 9-5.

RHP Thaddeus Ward made his fourth start of the season for the Red Wings and logged 3.0 innings of work. The University of Central Florida product allowed one earned on two hits while walking three and striking out two before handing the ball over to RHP Stephen Nogosek. The California native tossed 1.1 hitless innings, while striking out and walking a pair. LHP Joe La Sorsa took over for Nogosek in the top of the fifth, inheriting runners at the corners. He escaped the jam unscathed and logged the first two outs of the sixth while allowing an earned run on one hit with one walk before RHP Luis Reyes took over for the remainder of the inning. The right-hander worked 1.0 innings, giving up an earned run on one hit, and was followed by LHP Tim Cate, who entered and allowed three earned runs on two hits before RHP TJ Zeuch came in and closed out the seventh inning. Pitching in his first home game as a Red Wing, Zeuch tossed the remaining 3.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits.

RF Alex Call is Saturday afternoon’s Diamond Pro Player of the Game. The Minnesota native went 2-for-4 with a ninth-inning grand slam and a walk, and has now recorded a hit in four of the five games in the series. The homer marked the first grand slam by a Red Wing since Jack Dunn on September 3, 2023, against Scranton/WB, and Call’s first since July 1, 2022, at Iowa, with Triple-A Columbus.

Rochester and Toledo will meet for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon as the Red Wings look to lock up their second series victory. RHP Joan Adon takes the mound for Rochester against Mud Hens RHP Austin Bergner. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Find the box score attached here.