Knapp, Valente homer in loss

TOLEDO – The Toledo Mud Hens fell to the Buffalo Bisons 4-3 on Friday night at Fifth Third Field.

The pitching match-up consisted of Bryan Sammons for the Mud Hens and Yosver Zulueta for the Bisons.

The Bisons were on the bases right away when Rafael Lantigua reached on a fielding error by Justyn-Henry Malloy. The rehabbing Danny Jansen would flyout to center for the first out. Ernie Clement and Spencer Horwitz would hit back-to-back singles to put the Bisons in the lead 1-0. Davis Schneider struck out and L.J. Talley grounded out to end the inning.

Parker Meadows greeted Zulueta with a leadoff double. Meadows would come home to score on a RBI single by the rehabbing Matt Vierling, to put the game at a 1-1 tie. Malloy grounded into a double play and Andre Lipcius struck out to end the first inning in a tie. That would be the end for Zulueta, who pitched 1.0 inning, allowing one run on two hits and one strikeout.

Sammons would begin the second inning by striking out Wynton Bernard. Trevor Schwecke would draw a one-out walk, followed by a Cam Eden single to put two runners on with one out. Lantigua would flyout and Jansen popped out to end the inning.

Brandon Eisert would be the next pitcher for the Bisons, entering in the bottom of the second inning. Eisert retired the side in order, striking out Donny Sands, getting Andrew Knapp to flyout and inducing a Michael Papierski groundout to end the inning.

Clement would smack a leadoff home run against Sammons to open the third inning and put the Bisons back on top at 2-1. Horwitz would flyout, followed by a two-out walk by Schneider. Sammons would strikeout Talley and then Schneider would get caught stealing to retire the side.

Eisert would return to the hill for a second inning of work. Eisert would once again retire the Mud Hens in order, getting Corey Joyce to flyout, John Valente to groundout and Meadows to strikeout. That would be the end of the night for Eisert. He would finish with 2.0 innings pitched, tallying two strikeouts.

Eden would pick-up a two-out single against Sammons after flyouts from Bernard and Schwecke. Sammons would induce a flyout by Lantigua to end the inning and strand Eden.

Hayden Juenger would be the next pitcher to enter for Buffalo. Juenger would retire Vierling and Malloy both via flyouts to begin the inning before Lipcius would reach on a single. Juenger would strikeout Sands to end the inning.

Sammons would surrender his second leadoff home run of the game in the fifth inning, this time to Jansen, who extended the Buffalo lead to 3-1. Sammons would then retire Clement via flyout and strikeout both Horwitz and Schneider to end the inning and his night. Sammons would finish with 5.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs (two earned), on six hits (two home runs), two walks and five strikeouts.

Juenger would head back to the mound for a second inning of work in the bottom of the fifth inning for Buffalo. This time, it was the Mud Hens with a leadoff home run, as Knapp slugged a solo shot, his fourth of the season to make it 3-2. Both Papierski and Joyce would be retired via strikeouts before Valente would tie up the game with a solo shot of his own, tying the game at 3-3, handing Juenger his third blown save of the season. Juenger would strikeout Meadows to end the inning. Juenger would finish his night, picking up a blown save, pitching 2.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits (two home runs) and four strikeouts.

Braden Bristo would be the first reliever to appear from the bullpen for the Mud Hens. Bristo would begin his outing by striking out Talley, before surrendering a one-out double to Bernard. Bristo would escape the jam by striking out Schwecke and getting Eden to groundout.

Thomas Hatch would enter the game to pitch for the Bisons in the sixth inning. Rob Brantly would enter the game as a defensive replacement for the rehabbing Jansen. Hatch would need just seven pitches to retire the Mud Hens in order in the sixth inning. Vierling would groundout, Malloy flied out and Lipcius grounded out to end the middle third of the game.

Bristo would throw for a second inning in the seventh inning. Lantigua led off with a lineout. Brantly would pick up his first hit of the evening. Ernie Clement would line into a 8-6-3 double play, with Brantly being doubled off at first base. That would end the night for Bristo. He would finish with 2.0 innings pitched, allowing two hits and two strikeouts.

Trent Thornton would be the next pitcher for the Bisons in the bottom of the seventh inning. Thornton retired his first two hitters as Sands struckout and Knapp grounded out. Thornton found himself in some trouble after back-to-back walks to Papierski and Joyce to put the Bisons in trouble. Thornton would get Valente to roll over a pitch and groundout to end the inning and the threat. Thornton would finish the night with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing two walks and one strikeout.

Matt Wisler would be the next pitcher to enter for the Mud Hens in the eighth inning. Brendon Davis would enter as a defensive replacement for the rehabbing Vierling. Horwitz would flyout to begin the inning. Schneider would draw a one-out walk to put a runner on for the Bisons. Wisler would strikeout Talley and force Bernard to lineout to end the frame. Wisler would finish with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing one walk and one strikeout.

Andrew Bash would enter in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Bisons. Bash would need just nine pitches to get through the eighth inning. Meadows led off with a popout. Davis singled, but was erased when Malloy hit into an inning-ending double play.

Miguel Diaz would be the final reliever to enter the game for the Mud Hens in the ninth inning. Schwecke would draw a leadoff walk to put the winning run on base for the Bisons. Eden would strikeout for the first out of the inning. Diaz would then surrender three straight singles to Lantigua, Brantly and Clement to put Buffalo ahead 4-3. Horwitz would ground into a double play to end the inning, but the damage was done. Diaz would finish his night taking the loss after 1.0 inning pitched, allowing one run on three hits, one walk and one strikeout. Diaz’s record would drop to 0-2.

Bash would return to the mound to finish the job for the Bisons in the ninth inning. Bash would strikeout Lipcius and Sands to begin the inning. Knapp would be the last hope for the Mud Hens, but he would groundout to end the game at 4-3 in favor of the Bisons. Bash would collect the win, pitching 2.0 innings, allowing one hit and two strikeouts. The win was the first of Bash’s Triple-A career, improving his record to 1-0.

NOTABLES:

• Andrew Knapp: 1-4, HR, RBI, R
• John Valente: 1-3, HR, RBI, R
• Matt Vierling: 1-3, RBI
• Parker Meadows: 1-4, 2B, R, 2 K
• Bryan Sammons: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 5 K
• Miguel Diaz: L, 1.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER, BB, K

The Mud Hens and Bisons will play game five of the series tomorrow, Saturday, June 10^th at 7:05 pm ET at Fifth Third Field in Toledo.