LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A two-run blast from Mike Gerber proved to be all the offense the Toledo Mud Hens needed in a 2-1 victory over the Louisville Bats on Sunday at Louisville Slugger Field.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A two-run blast from Mike Gerber proved to be all the offense the Toledo Mud Hens needed in a 2-1 victory over the Louisville Bats on Sunday at Louisville Slugger Field.
Gerber paced the Mud Hens (2-1) at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, a single, two RBIs, and a run scored for his third consecutive multi-hit game of the season. Dawel Lugo also produced his second straight multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Louisville (1-2) was held to six hits on the afternoon.
Artie Lewicki had a birthday to remember, going 5.1 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out four to earn the win. The bullpen was stellar in relief, tossing 3.2 shutout innings and surrendering three hits while striking out four. Zac Reininger kept the Bats off the board in the ninth to pick up his second save of the year.
The Mud Hens captured a 2-0 lead in the top of the first for the second time in as many games. Ronny Rodríguez led off the contest with a base hit into left, and Gerber brought him home with a long two-run shot into the right-field bleachers for his second home run of the campaign.
Louisville failed to record a hit until the fourth, and it took another inning for the hosts to produce a run. Tyler Goeddel led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, and scored when Tony Cruz doubled into left to cut the Mud Hens' lead to 2-1.
Toledo threatened to add to its lead in the top of the seventh. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Krizan picked up back-to-back walks to start the frame, prompting Louisville to replace Barrett Astin with Kyle Crockett on the mound. However, the next three batters went down in order as the game headed into the stretch.
Leading 2-1, the Mud Hens brought in Reininger to face the heart of Louisville's order. The Bats looked to rally with two outs, as Mason Williams grounded a base hit through the left side before Goeddel singled to right to put runners on the corners. However, D.J. Peterson popped out to Lugo in shallow right to wrap up the contest.
The Mud Hens travel to the Hoosier State tomorrow to open a three-game series against the Indianapolis Indians. First pitch from Victory Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
