Hens drop a close one at Storm Chasers, 3-2

Papillion, NE- The Toledo Mud Hens (21-20) fell at the Omaha Storm Chasers (18-22) on Wednesday, May 13, at Werner Park in a 3-2 result. Troy Melton made his season debut with the Mud Hens on an injury assignment from Detroit, pitching 2 complete innings.

Following an electric offensive outing last night, the Mud Hens did not start the day quite as hot; yet still recorded a hit early in the first by Max Clark, second batter in the order. Clark added his 10^th stolen bag of the season and following a walk, Corey Julks singled for an RBI, striking first once again. (1-0)

After opening with two allowed hits, Melton found his rhythm and struck out the next three in a row.

Two pop outs and a strikeout retired the Hens in the second. The opponent got runners in scoring position in their half, but Toledo’s defense held them scoreless after two.

Ben Malgeri led off inning three with a walk and stolen base. Max Anderson reached on a fielder’s choice, while Malgeri got thrown out at home. A strikeout ended the away inning for the Hens. Melton walked one in the bottom, then Scott Effross stepped in from the bullpen. A nine-pitch walk landed two Storm Chasers on, but the long inning concluded with a pickoff and strikeout; score held at 1-0.

No action added to the score in the fourth. Drew Sommers took the bump in the bottom; striking one out in his single inning.

Anderson continued his home run streak, going yard in the fifth for a solo. (2-0) Bryan Sammons, originally slated to start the day, took over in the home half and remained for the rest of the game.

The Hens got shut out with two left on in the sixth and eighth, failing to put up any additional runs in the contest. In a similar fashion to game one, Omaha sent a solo homer over the wall to put a number on the board late in stanza six. (2-1)

A 1-2-3-inning for Toledo in the ninth left the door open for Omaha to walk it off needing only two runs for the win. Sammons walked one, then a massive fly ball dropped down for the game-tying RBI double (2-2). With the go-ahead run at second, Omaha left fielder, Kameron Misner, stepped up to the dish. He smashed another double over Clark in center field which allowed the game winning walk-off run to end a close one. (2-3)

Toledo remains in Omaha for another 7:35p.m. first pitch, on Thursday, May 14, as the Mud Hens hope to jump back into the win column against the Storm Chasers.

Notables

M. Anderson – 1/5, HR, 1RBI

C. Julks – 1/4, 2R, RBI, 0K

T. Melton - 2.0IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 3K