Mud Hens school Red Sox in Wednesday doubleheader

TOLEDO – The Toledo Mud Hens swept the Worcester Red Sox in a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at Fifth Third Field.

GAME ONE:

In game one, the Mud Hens defeated the Red Sox 5-3 in seven innings.

Matt Manning took the hill for the Mud Hens while Richard Fitts got the ball for the Red Sox in game one.

The Hens started the scoring with a Jace Jung sacrifice fly in the first inning after Akil Baddoo swiped both second and third base.

Toledo added on three more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Justice Bigbie clubbed an RBI double off the wall to make it 2-0. A double by Dillon Dingler was followed by a RBI infield single by Ryan Vilade and a RBI groundout by Justyn-Henry Malloy to extend the lead to 4-0.

The WooSox came right back with three runs of their own. Nathan Hickey started the scoring for the Red Sox with a RBI double. Mark Contreras drove home a second run with a RBI groundout. Eddy Alvarez brought the gap back to one run with an RBI single, making it 4-3.

Manning’s day wrapped after the fourth inning. Manning finished with a no-decision after pitching 4.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits, two walks and four strikeouts.

The Hens added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Baddoo drove in Vilade to make it 5-3.

Fitts’ day was done after the fourth inning as well. Fitts pitched 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts.

The two bullpens dueled through the fifth and sixth innings as Sean Guenther and Mason Englert each pitched a perfect inning for the Hens, while Chase Shugart pitched 2.0 perfect innings for the Red Sox.

Beau Brieske entered in the seventh inning to close it out for the Mud Hens. After a flyout to start the inning, two hits and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Brieske got former Mud Hen Jamie Westbrook to ground into a game-ending 5-4-3 double play to seal a 5-3 win.

Guenther took the win in relief, moving to 2-0. Fitts was handed the loss, dropping his record to 1-1. Brieske picked up his team-leading second save of the season.

NOTABLES:

• Ryan Vilade (2-3, RBI, 2B, K)
• Bligh Madris (2-3, 2B, R)
• Akil Baddoo (1-3, RBI, R)
• Sean Guenther (W, 1.0 IP, K)
• Beau Brieske (SV, 1.0 IP, 2 H, BB)

GAME TWO:

In game two, the Mud Hens defeated the Red Sox 3-2 in seven innings.

Keider Montero took the bump for the Mud Hens while Grant Gambrell toed the rubber for the WooSox.

The Red Sox started the scoring in the third inning when Mark Contreras smacked a two-run triple. Montero escaped the inning with no further damage, but that wrapped his outing after 3.0 innings pitched, allowing two runs on three hits, four walks and two strikeouts.

The Mud Hens came right back in the bottom of the third inning with two runs of their own. Justyn-Henry Malloy drove home Corey Joyce on a groundout, then Jace Jung doubled home Andrew Navigato, tying the game at 2-2.

Devin Sweet entered for the Mud Hens to pitch the fourth inning, striking out the side in order.

The Hens came up in the bottom of the fourth inning and took the lead. Ryan Vilade singled and then scored from first on an RBI double by Joyce, giving the Mud Hens a 3-2 lead.

Ty Adcock entered to pitch the fifth inning for the Mud Hens. Adcock pitched 1.0 scoreless inning, allowing one hit and two walks with two strikeouts.

Malloy tapped a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth, but was stranded by Gambrell.

Andrew Vasquez entered in the sixth inning for Toledo. Vasquez pitched 0.2 inning, walking and striking out one batter. Brenan Hanifee entered to finish the inning, retiring the lone batter he faced.

Two hits and an error loaded the bases with no one out for the Mud Hens in the bottom of the sixth inning. Gambrell walked the tightrope, striking out the next three hitters to escape with no damage done. Gambrell set a season-high nine strikeouts against the Mud Hens by one individual pitcher.

Drew Anderson entered the game in the seventh inning to close it out for the Mud Hens. After walking Vaughn Grissom to start the inning, Anderson retired the next three batters, the last two via strikeouts. Anderson’s first save of the season sealed a 3-2 win for the Mud Hens, giving them a doubleheader sweep and a 2-0 advantage in the series.

NOTABLES:

• Corey Joyce (2-3, Game-Winning RBI, 2B, R, K)
• Ryan Vilade (2-3, R)
• Jace Jung (1-3, RBI, 2B, K)
• Devin Sweet (W, 1.0 IP, 3 K)
• Drew Anderson (SV, 1.0 IP, BB, 2 K)

What’s Next:

The Toledo Mud Hens will remain at home for game three of the six-game series against the Worcester Red Sox tomorrow, April 25, 2024, with first pitch coming at 6:35 pm ET.