In a back-and-forth offensive affair, the Mud Hens were finally able to snap their losing skid against the Pawtucket Red Sox off the back of strong pitching and a potent offense. In a 7-3 victory, the Mud Hens put a stop to their six-game losing streak.
In a back-and-forth offensive affair, the Mud Hens were finally able to snap their losing skid against the Pawtucket Red Sox off the back of strong pitching and a potent offense. In a 7-3 victory, the Mud Hens put a stop to their six-game losing streak.
Drew VerHagen got the start for Toledo and pitched to a quality start with 6.1 innings pitched and three earned runs allowed while striking out seven.
Kyle Kendrick, another former MLB pitcher, was his opponent for Pawtucket. He also wound up with a quality start on the day, going six innings and allowing three runs (two home runs to bring his season total up to 23) and struck out two while walking zero.
The game started slow with each team trying to feel each other out at the plate. VerHagen was perfect through three and racked up five strikeouts within that timeframe, while his opponent in Kendrick had success inducing ground balls.
That all changed in the top of the fourth inning when Efren Navarro hit a deep shot to right-centerfield that cleared the fence to give the Mud Hens the 1-0 lead. While just a solo home run, it was what the Mud Hens needed to break their 20-inning scoreless streak against Pawtucket pitching.
Pawtucket threatened in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases after a pair of singles and a walk with two outs, but VerHagen was able to work out of trouble and forced Rafael Devers to ground out and end the inning without any damage.
Toledo was able to add to their lead two innings later in the top of the sixth when they struck with the deep ball once again. JaCoby Jones lead off the inning with a double and Navarro cashed in once again with a home run to right-centerfield to make it 3-0, a shot eerily reminiscent of his blast from two innings before.
Pawtucket was finally able to get on the board in the bottom of the sixth, as Tzu-Wei Lin doubled with one out to put a runner in scoring position for just the second time in the game. Sam Travis hit a groundball back up the middle that plated Lin and made it 3-1.
It didn't take long for Toledo to answer in the top of the seventh, as Red Sox reliever Austin Maddox walked the bases loaded and moved Bryan Holaday home on a wild pitch to push the Hens lead to 4-1.
The scoring pace picked up as a run was plated for the third half-inning in a row. Pawtucket was able to cut the lead to one after Matt Dominguez singled and Devers came back right after with a home run to left field to make it a 4-3 game. After two more singles VerHagen's day was done, but Blaine Hardy was able to extinguish the fire and hold it there.
Another half-inning, more scoring as the top of the eighth rolled around. Second baseman -- and part-time knuckleballer -- Mike Miller entered the game to pitch for Pawtucket and after retiring the first two in order, he allowed a single to Juan Perez and a home run to Bryan Holaday to push the game back to 6-3.
Toledo added to their lead in the top of the ninth after loading the bases with no one out against Miller. Tyler Collins roped a sacrifice fly to left field and made the lead 7-3.
Logan Kensing entered in the ninth and struck out the side to clinch the win for Toledo.
The Mud Hens continue their road trip on Thursday night against the Rochester Red Wings. Anthony Vasquez is scheduled to pitch for Toledo; first pitch is set for 7:05.
