Norfolk, VA - At Harbor Park on Saturday, the Toledo Mud Hens were victorious over the Norfolk Tides by a score of 11-4 behind home runs by Jeimer Candelario and Jake Rogers.
Norfolk, VA - At Harbor Park on Saturday, the Toledo Mud Hens were victorious over the Norfolk Tides by a score of 11-4 behind home runs by Jeimer Candelario and Jake Rogers.
Jake Rogers led the charge with an early solo home run to tie the game in the third inning. Then Jeimer Candelario capped off what would be an 11-run game for the Hens with a triple and a home run.
In his first start with the Mud Hens since an injury earlier in the year, Kyle Funkhouser took the mound for Toledo. He walked the first batter he faced, but struck out the second followed by a pop up. However, a stolen base by Cedric Mullins and an error on a ground ball put runners at the corners for the Tides, despite not registering a hit. Mullins would then score on a non-traditional double steal. Jace Peterson stole second with Mullins leaving on the throw from Rogers to second, giving Norfolk a 1-0 lead after one inning.
The next action would come with one out in the top of the third inning with Jake Rogers at the plate. Rogers would send a Luis Ysla pitch over the left field wall for a solo home run, tying the game at one. Jacob Robson would follow with a single, but a double play would end the inning with score tied 1-1.
Daniel Pinero began the top of the fourth with a walk. He would score on a triple by Candelario, extending the Hens team lead in the category for the International League, while also giving Toledo the lead. Mikie Mahtook would then double, scoring Candelario to extend the lead. Victor Reyes would continue the trend a batter later, doubling to score Mahtook. Pete Kozma would join in, singling to put runners at the corners with one out. After the second out occured, Robson would also triple, scoring both Kozma and Reyes, bringing an end to Ysla's day.
Over 3.2 innings, Ysla allowed six runs on seven hits while walking two and not striking out a batter. He would be replaced by Pedro Araujo. Araujo would end the inning with an out, but the Hens would take a 6-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the fourth, Norfolk registered back-to-back singles followed by a walk to load the bases. A Mason Williams sacrifice fly to center would score Ryan Mountcastle followed by a ground out by Christopher Bostick that scored Peterson, moving the score to 6-3 Toledo.
The Hens added more in the top of the fifth. To leadoff the inning, Pinero sent a line drive over the left field wall for a solo home run. Candelario then singled to put another runner on for Toledo, but a double play would clear the base paths.
Entering the bottom of the fifth the Hens made a change on the hill, calling on Caleb Thielbar out of the pen. In his first start back, Funkhouser tossed four innings, allowing two earned runs, three total, on two hits and three walks while striking out two.
It wasn't until the top of the seventh that the Hens saw more action at the plate. With one out, Danny Woodrow singled and then stole second, his ninth stolen base of the season. Pinero would then walk to put two on for Toledo. Candelario then hit a home run, leaving him just a double shy of the cycle in the seventh and increasing the Hens lead to 10-3.
After adding a few more runs, Toledo made a change on the mound with Bryan Garcia entering for Thielbar who completed two scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out one. With two outs in the inning, Joey Rickard homered to left field to cut the Hens lead to 10-4.
Norfolk also made a pitching change with Chris Lee replacing Araujo who stayed in for 3.1 innings, giving up four runs on four hits and one walk with one strikeout. Reyes singled to welcome Lee and would eventually score on a single by Robson, pushing the lead to 11-4.
Entering the bottom half of the eighth José Manuel Fernández came on to replace Garcia. Over his one inning, Garcia gave up a home run, resulting in his only hit allowed while also striking out one. Fernandez tossed one inning, striking out two, before John Schreiber entered to pitch the ninth, tallying the same the line.
What's Next:
The Toledo Mud Hens will conclude their series with the Norfolk Tides on Sunday with a scheduled start time of 1:05 p.m. The Mud Hens are set to send the left-handed Tyler Alexander to the bump while the Tides have Chandler Shepherd slated to start. Following this series, the Hens will have Monday off before returning to Fifth Third Field on Tuesday to face Lehigh Valley.
#RoadToDetroit Report (according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. OF Daz Cameron: DNP
6. RHP Beau Burrows: DNP (IL)
7. IF Willi Castro: DNP
10. RHP Kyle Funkhouser: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
12. C Jake Rogers: 1 for 4, HR, RBI
16. OF Jacob Robson: 3 for 4, 3B, 3 RBI
18. RHP Bryan Garcia: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
19. OF Danny Woodrow: 1 for 5
22. RHP John Schreiber: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
26. RHP Sandy Baez: DNP (IL)
27. LHP Matt Hall: DNP
28. IF/OF Dustin Peterson: 0 for 4
Hens Notes:
- In a flurry of moves, Ryan Carpenter and Jeimer Candelario rejoined the Mud Hens from the Tigers with Bobby Wilson and Gregory Soto moving up in corresponding moves. Also, Kade Scivicque joined Toledo from Erie with Kody Eaves being sent down.
