Durham, NC - At the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Wednesday, the Toledo Mud Hens fell short against the Durham Bulls by a score of 6-1.
Durham, NC - At the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Wednesday, the Toledo Mud Hens fell short against the Durham Bulls by a score of 6-1.
Durham was led by Nick Solak who would end up tallying two home runs on the night for the Bulls, while the Mud Hens were only able to muster out one run in the loss.
Toledo saw the first baserunner of the game reach in the top of the first inning. With one out, Daniel Pinero was hit by a pitch to put a runner on for the Mud Hens. A fielder's choice ground ball to third base would force out Pinero at second with Jeimer Candelario taking his place at first in his first at-bat during his rehab assignment with Toledo. However, that would be all the action for that half of the inning as the Bulls' starter Ryan Merritt was able to get out of the inning.
Taking the bump for Toledo was the right-handed veteran Tim Adleman, taking the hill for his sixth start of the season in a Mud Hens uniform. After striking out the first batter he faced, Adleman walked the second, but was able to strike out the third batter. However, a pass ball and a throwing error in the field would put runners at the corners with two outs. On a full count, Nick Solak took a swing to deep left-center for a three-run home run to give Durham a 3-0 lead early in the contest, with all three runs being unearned to Adleman.
Willi Castro led off the top of the second inning with a near home run that was shortened to a double due to the tall left field wall in Durham. However, Merritt was once again able to escape without allowing a run.
In the third inning, Pinero would add a double to his line as well, coming with two outs in the inning before scoring on a bloop single to shallow left field by Candelario to cut the Bulls lead to 3-1.
There wouldn't be any action again until the bottom of the fourth. After walking Michael Brosseau, Solak homered for the second time in as many at-bats, putting this one in nearly the same spot as his home run in the first inning, increasing the Durham lead to 5-1.
To begin the fifth inning, the Mud Hens made a pitching change, calling on Matt Hall. In four innings, Adleman allowed three hits and walked three while five runs scored, two earned, but also struck out eight batters. The first batter Hall would face would be Joe McCarthy, who homered to right field, extending the Bulls' lead to 6-1 with all runs coming from long balls. However, the solo shot would be it for Durham in the inning.
In the top of the sixth, the Bulls also made a change on the mound, putting Casey Sadler in for Merritt, who tossed five innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out four.
With the rain falling hard in the bottom of the sixth, the Bulls kicked off the inning with back-to-back singles from Michael Perez and Jason Coats. After striking out Brendan McKay, Hall walked Nathan Lukes to load the bases with one out. Hall would battle back to strike out Kean Wong and get McCarthy to fly out to end the inning.
The Hens made another pitching change prior to taking the field in the bottom of the eighth. José Manuel Fernández came on to replace Hall, who went three innings, giving up three hits and walking three with Durham scoring one while also striking out two.
What's Next:
The Mud Hens and Bulls will conclude the three-game series on Thursday will the finale set to begin at 7:05 p.m. Gregory Soto is set to take the mound for Toledo while Durham is slated to start José De León. Following the series with Durham, the Hens will move on to Norfolk for a weekend series to conclude the road trip.
#RoadToDetroit Report (ranking according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. OF Daz Cameron: 0 for 4
6. RHP Beau Burrows: DNP (IL)
7. IF Willi Castro: 1 for 4, 2B
12. C Jake Rogers: 0 for 4
16. OF Jacob Robson: DNP
18. RHP Bryan Garcia: DNP
19. OF Danny Woodrow: 1 for 3, 2B
22. RHP John Schreiber: DNP
25. LHP Gregory Soto: DNP
26. RHP Sandy Baez: DNP (IL)
27. LHP Matt Hall: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
28. IF/OF Dustin Peterson: 1 for 4
Hens Notes:
- Prior to the start of Wednesday's contest Jeimer Candelario joined the Mud Hens roster on a MLB rehab assignment.
