Toledo, OH - In Wednesday's noon matinee, the Toledo Mud Hens topped the Lehigh Valley IronPigs by a score of 11-4 behind two four-run innings, coming in the sixth and eighth.
Toledo, OH - In Wednesday's noon matinee, the Toledo Mud Hens topped the Lehigh Valley IronPigs by a score of 11-4 behind two four-run innings, coming in the sixth and eighth.
In the sixth inning, Toledo began to pull away scoring four runs behind a three-run home run by Mikie Mahtook. The Mud Hens then sealed the deal in the eighth, scoring another four runs, this time spearheaded by three RBI doubles.
To begin the game, the Toledo starter, left-handed Ryan Carpenter, sent down the Ironpigs in order by striking out the side. This would mark Carpenter's first start with the Hens since May 19 due to a call-up to Detroit on May 25. He rejoined the Mud Hens on June 14. Carpenter carried his momentum into the second inning, striking out his fourth batter of the game.
In the bottom of the third, Daz Cameron reached first after being hit by a pitch. The IronPigs' starter, Ramon Rosso would attempt to keep Cameron close at first with various pickoff moves, but Cameron would move up anyway when Pete Kozma would also be hit by a pitch. With Kade Scivicque up, Rosso balked moving the runners to second and third with no outs for the Mud Hens. Cameron would come around to score on a Danny Woodrow ground ball to give Toledo a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth with one out, Phil Gosselin doubled with a hit through the left side of the infield that rolled to the wall. Gosselin advanced to third on a wild pitch, but a line drive to the Hens' third baseman Daniel Pinero was snagged and Pinero stepped on third for an inning-ending unassisted double play to preserve the Toledo lead.
The IronPigs would be back on the base paths in the fifth. Jan Hernandez began with a walk and then stole second before Carpenter would tally his seventh strikeout of the game to put one out on the board. A lineout and yet another strikeout would end the inning.
Dustin Peterson extended the Hens lead to start the bottom half of the fifth. Peterson sent a shot off the scoreboard in left field for his eighth home run with Toledo this year, pushing the lead to 2-0.
Carpenter continued his quest in the strikeout department in the sixth, striking out the leadoff batter, Malquin Canelo for his ninth of the game. That would be his final of the day before being replaced by Zac Reininger. Carpenter tossed 5.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits and walking two while striking out nine, tying the season high for a Toledo pitcher this season.
With Reininger on the bump, Canelo would score on a double by Gosselin to left field, cutting the Toledo lead to 2-1. Gosselin would move up to third on a fly out by Deivy Grullon. However, another fly out would end the inning with the Hens lead still intact.
Toledo would get another jump start from the plate in the bottom of the sixth. Woodrow laced a double to the right field wall from the leadoff spot in the lineup before scoring on a Pinero single through the right side of the infield. Willi Castro would then walk before Mikie Mahtook launched a three-run home run to left-center to extend the Toledo lead to 6-1. After a Peterson double, Lehigh Valley made a change on the mound with Fernando Salas replacing Rosso.
Over 5.1 innings, Rosso walked one, balked once and allowed six hits while striking out four and giving up six runs to the Mud Hens. Salas was welcomed to the game by Cameron, who singled through the left side of the infield to put runners at the corners for Toledo, but a double play would end the inning with the score set at 6-1 Mud Hens entering the seventh.
In the seventh, The IronPigs would see three batters walk to load the bases before Canelo singled up the middle to score Lane Adams. After the single, the Mud Hens made a change on the mound. John Schreiber entered to replace Reininger, who pitched one total inning over the span of the sixth and seventh innings. Reininger walked three and allowed two hits while striking out one and giving up three runs. The first batter Schreiber would face would be Ali Castillo, who would reach after being hit by a pitch, bringing Rob Brantly home. A sacrifice fly to right by Gosselin would then score Gift Ngoepe, pushing the score to 6-4 Toledo.
In the Hens half of the seventh, Scivicque began with a single to open the bottom of the inning. After two outs were recorded, Castro doubled to the right-center gap, scoring Scivicque to extend the Toledo lead to 7-4.
Bryan Garcia entered to pitch for the Mud Hens to start the eighth inning. In two-thirds of an inning, Schreiber struck out one batter while not allowing any hits or walks. In his two-thirds inning of work, Garcia allowed one hit and one walk before Jose Cisnero entered for Toledo.
Lehigh Valley made a change on the mound as well at the start of the bottom of the eighth. Austin Davis entered for Salas, who pitched 1.2 innings giving up one run on three hits. Davis' first batter faced would be Jacob Robson, who knocked an infield single. Robson would come around to score on a Peterson double down the left field line. Peterson would then trade placed with Cameron, who would register an RBI double followed by Scivicque doing the same. Next up, Woodrow and Pinero would both walk to load the bases for Toledo. A sacrifice fly by Castro would bring in Scivicque to extend the lead further, 11-4 Toledo.
What's Next:
Toledo and Lehigh Valley will return to the field on Thursday for the conclusion of their three-game series, with a scheduled start time of 7:05 p.m. The Hens are set to send Drew VerHagen to the mound while the Ironpigs have yet to announce a probable starter. The game will also once again feature Muddy and Spike's Inflatable Theme Park with other ticket offers including a Rooftop Wine Tasting. More information can be found at mudhens.com.
#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. OF Daz Cameron: 2 for 3, 2B, RBI
7. IF Willi Castro: 1 for 3, 2B, 2 RBI
10. RHP Kyle Funkhouser: DNP
12. C Jake Rogers: DNP
16. OF Jacob Robson: 2 for 4
18. RHP Bryan Garcia: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
19. OF Danny Woodrow: 1 for 4, 2B, RBI
22. RHP John Schreiber: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
25. LHP Gregory Soto: DNP
26. RHP Sandy Baez: DNP (IL)
27. LHP Matt Hall: DNP
28. IF/OF Dustin Peterson: 3 for 4, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Hens Notes:
- Prior to the start of Wednesday's contest, Victor Reyes rejoined the Mud Hens from the Tigers. In a corresponding move, Tim Adleman was assigned to AA Erie.
- Entering today's game, Willi Castro was leading the International League in triples with six and ranked seventh in stolen bases, now with 12. He also ranks seventh in batting average for qualified players, batting .316 and fifth in hits with 75.
- In team statistics, the Hens held a commanding lead entering the game in triples and are closing in on stolen bases. For triples, Toledo has recorded 27 while the next closest is Buffalo with 18. Similarly, Toledo has tallied 60 stolen bases, trailing just Syracuse who has 69.
