Daz devastates Indianapolis with clutch hits

TOLEDO, OH.: After being held to just two hits through the first five innings, the Toledo Mud Hens staged a dramatic comeback, erasing a 3-0 deficit and overcoming a game-tying homer in the ninth to defeat the Indianapolis Indians, 6-5, in ten innings on Saturday evening at Fifth Third Field.

Daz Cameron stepped into the box and delivered with a two-out RBI single, scoring Jamie Westbrook, in the bottom of the tenth to ensure Toledo’s seventh walk-off win of the season.

After three scoreless innings transpired, the Indians pushed across the first run of the game in the fourth. Jack Suwinski and Travis Swaggerty singled to start the inning. Suwinski scampered home later in the frame on an errant pickoff throw from Chi Chi Gonzalez.

Gonzalez threw well in his Mud Hens and Tigers organizational debut, surrendering five hits, one earned run, one walk, and mixing in five punch outs over four innings while not factoring in the decision.

Indianapolis would increase its advantage to 3-0 with a two-run fifth. The first three Indians reached against rehabbing Wily Peralta to load the bases. Rodolfo Castro rolled into a double play, but plated Mike Jarvis in the process for the first run. Suwinski then doubled in Tucupita Marcano to complete the extent of the damage.

Marcano extended his hitting streak to nine consecutive games by slashing 3-5.

These fifth inning tallies accounted for much-needed run support benefitting Indians starter Mike Burrows, who worked around two hits and two walks over four stanzas on the hill.

The Mud Hens started to turn the tide with a productive bottom of the sixth. Josh Lester led off the stanza by launching his 16th blast of the campaign to put Toledo on the board. A well-timed two-base hit from Spencer Torkelson followed Lester’s dinger. He touched up a couple batters later on an RBI knock from Derek Hill to trim the deficit to 3-2.

Torkelson’s 2-5 effort at the dish marked the first instance where he had multiple hits in an assignment since being sent down from Detroit. He has hits in five of eight Toledo contests.

A lead-off walk to Swaggerty in the top of the eighth, and an RBI double from Taylor Davis opposite Shea Spitzbarth enabled Indy to bump its lead up to 4-2.

The Mud Hens caught fire in the home half of the frame when the first three batters reached base. Brendon Davis slapped a base knock to start things off. Kerry Carpenter then advanced him into scoring position when he was issued a free pass by Indianapolis reliever John O’Reilly. Westbrook singled in Davis for the first run. Two batters later, Ali Sanchez evened the game with a run-producing hit of his own. Cameron’s one-bagger guided Westbrook across and provided Toledo with its first lead of the contest at 5-4.

Carpenter and Westbrook guided their hitting streaks to two and three games, respectively, by swatting 2-4 at the dish.

Down to his final strike in the ninth, Suwinski capped his 3-5 night by belting his fourth Triple-A dinger over the left field fence opposite Sam Howard, thus forcing extra innings.

Drew Carlton (2-2) did his job in the top of the tenth and ultimately earned the win, fanning a pair of hitters and not allowing the inherited runner Swaggerty to score.

Eric Hanhold (1-1) accepted the setback for the Indians, yielding three hits and an unearned run while retiring five hitters.

NEXT UP: The Mud Hens conclude the six-game set against Indianapolis and the nine-game home stand with a final contest against the Indians on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m.