Hens blanked by Cubs in 6-0 loss

Cubs score six in the final three innings to win

By Mitch Harber

July 15, 2021

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Iowa Cubs took game three of the series against the Toledo Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field on Thursday night, winning 6-0. Serving as the opener and making his first professional start, right-hander Drew Carlton worked two scoreless innings to start the game. He conceded two

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Iowa Cubs took game three of the series against the Toledo Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field on Thursday night, winning 6-0.

Serving as the opener and making his first professional start, right-hander Drew Carlton worked two scoreless innings to start the game. He conceded two hits and a walk while striking out two.

The score remained 0-0 in the third when righty Nolan Blackwood entered to pitch. He loaded the bases with one out, but went on to strike out back-to-back hitters to escape the jam.

Blackwood exited after 2.2 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out a season-high four batters. Southpaw Robbie Ross Jr. came on to get the final out of the fifth inning with the game still absent of any runs.

The Mud Hens first extra-base hit of the game came in the bottom of the sixth off the bat of Aderlin Rodriguez. Jacob Robson grounded out to second base and JaCoby Jones fanned to strand Rodriguez, keeping the game tied.

With Ross Jr. still in the game, Tyler Ladendorf hit a blast to left field that left the yard and put Iowa in front. Ian Miller was then hit by a pitch and stole second base. He advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a base hit to right by Alfonso Rivas. Bryan Garcia entered in relief, trying to keep the deficit at two. After a wild pitch that allowed Rivas to go from first to third, Taylor Gushue cashed him in with a single to left-center.

Garcia returned for the eighth. He hit the leadoff man, Nick Martini, who swiped second base. Garcia settled down, getting a ground ball and a fly ball for the first two outs of the inning. Ian Miller then smacked a line drive to center field that scored Martini from second, extending the Cubs’ lead to four.

Righty Angel De Jesus came on to pitch the ninth inning. He struggled with his command, walking two consecutive batters. After striking out Tryace Thompson for the second out of the inning, he yielded back-to-back singles that scored two more for Iowa, making it a 6-0 game.

What’s Next:

The Toledo Mud Hens and Iowa Cubs meet again Friday night at Fifth Third Field with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Hens Notes:

RHP Nolan Blackwood struck out a season-best four hitters in the game.
INF Renato Nunez extended his hit streak to four games, a current team-high.