Toledo bests Rochester's bullpen in 8-7 victory

Toledo followed up Saturday’s big win with another exciting game, winning this one 8-7. The Mud Hens really benefited from a strong performance at the plate, but gave up five home runs to the Red Wings on their way to the victory.

It was a slow start for both teams Sunday afternoon. Joan Adon started on the mound for Rochester, beginning the game with a walk, but got the next three batters. Toledo chose to go with Austin Bergner to begin the game. He would give up a single to Darren Baker, but Dillon Dingler would catch him trying to steal second to end the first inning.

The second inning saw both teams get their first hits of the game. Ryan Vilade had a hard-hit double into right-center field, but the Mud Hens were unable to bring him home. The Red Wings began to heat up in the bottom of the second inning as Travis Blankenhorn began their half of the inning with a lead-off home run. Following a groundout by Alex Call because of an outstanding effort from Keston Hiura, Jake Alu would hit a solo shot of his own to make it a 2-0 game.

The Mud Hens followed up the Red Wings’ dominant inning with one of their own. Akil Baddoo got it started with a line-drive base hit to left field. Justyn-Henry Malloy then followed that up by drawing a walk, bringing Jace Jung to the plate. Jung stole the lead with a three-run homer to make it a 3-2 game. The hit would go down as Jung’s fourth home run of the season.

Bergner would protect the Toledo lead by going one, two, three to end the third inning. Heading into the fourth, Toledo looked to expand their lead. Vilade got to first off of a line drive to right field. Corey Joyce then drew a walk to bring Andrew Navigato up to bat. Navigato hit one off of the center-field wall, but after turning first was tagged out. The Hens would leave runners stranded at second and third base.

Bergner would give up a third solo home run to Juan Yepez, tying the game 3-3. In response, Toledo would start warming up Wilmer Flores. Alex Call would give Rochester the lead with another solo home run as Bergner’s day came to a close. Flores took the mound needing one last out to end the fourth inning. He would get it with a diving catch from Bligh Madris in right field.

The Hens looked to regain their lead in the top of the fifth. Jung drew a walk and Hiura popped one just past first base that Blankenhorn couldn’t get to in time. Vilade would bring in both Jung and Hiura with his second double of the day. Joyce then extended the Toledo lead even further with a ground ball that found its way into the outfield. This led Rochester to bench Adon and bring out Adonis Medina. Medina gave up a walk, but then struck out Baddoo to keep it 6-4 going into the bottom of the fifth.

Baker would then cut the Toledo lead to one with an RBI double to center field, bringing in Brady Lindsly. Flores wouldn’t allow anything else though, picking up a strikeout on his way to the sixth inning.

Hiura then picked up his third hit of the game in the sixth inning, ending Medina’s day. Rochester brought out Richard Bleier to take over on the mound, but he immediately gave up a two-run homer to Madris.

Now down 8-5, Rochester looked to get back in this game. Blankenhorn would make that task much easier with his second solo home run of the day, the Red Wings’ fifth of the game. Flores and the Mud Hens then picked up three straight outs to keep it an 8-6 game going into the seventh inning.

Hoping to halt the Hens, the Wings brought out Amos Willingham to close out the top of the seventh inning. He would pick up a strikeout against Malloy to take the game to the seventh-inning stretch.

Toledo would also make a change on the mound, bringing out Devin Sweet to try and secure their lead. Sweet went one, two, three while picking up two strikeouts, taking the game into the eighth inning.

Hiura then found his fourth hit of the game with a single to center field, but nothing would come of it as Madris hit into a double play. Sweet would not retake the mound in the eighth as Toledo opted for Drew Anderson to try and close out the game.

Anderson struck out James Wood, but then gave up a single to Yepez to bring Blankenhorn to the plate. Blamkemhron and Call would both draw walks, loading the bases for Alu. Alu would hit a light grounder to Joyce, which Navigato turned into a double play to escape the jam.

The top of the ninth gave Toledo the opportunity to pick up some insurance runs, but if they were going to do that they would have to best Rico Garcia, as Garcia took over for Willingham to open the ninth. Vilade found his way to third after drawing a walk, but the Mud Hens couldn’t bring him in.

Toledo decided to put Brenan Hanifee on the bump to try and end the game, up 8-6. Jack Dunn got on base after a fielding error by Jung. Dunn would score off of another error by Jung that also let Baker get on base. Wood came to the plate with two outs and a chance to win the game. Toledo decided it was best to not use right-handed Hanifee against Wood and brought out left-handed Andrew Vasquez to try and get the final out of the game. Wood picked up a base hit, moving Baker to second and bringing Yepez to the plate. Yepez, who had found much success against lefties in his career, was bested by Hanifee who took him down in just three pitches. That final out gave Toledo the 8-7 win and tied the series at three games a piece.

The Hens are home again this week for a series against the Worcester Red Sox. The first game will be played Tuesday at 6:05 p.m.

Notables:

Ryan Vilade 3-4, 2 2B, BB, 2 RBI, R, SB

Keston Hiura 4-5, 2 R

Bligh Madris 1-5, 2 RBI, R

Jace Jung 1-4, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB