Bigbie’s three RBI’s weren’t enough in 9-6 loss

The Toledo Mud Hens were defeated by the Indianapolis Indians 9-6 on Wednesday night at Fifth Third Field.

Mason Englert earned the start on the bump this evening as he came into this game with a 3-0 record with a 2.35 ERA in 22 appearances with one of those being a start.

Englert didn’t help to improve those numbers as in the top of the first Englert allowed a walk and a double to put runners on second and third with just one out. A blooping single to center field scored them both to give the Indians the early 2-0 lead. Englert was able to get the Hens off the field as a grounder and a strikeout ended the inning limiting the damage to just two runs.

The offense in the bottom of the first then went 1-2-3 with a pair of pop-outs and a K to end the inning.

The Indian's offense started the inning with a double to the left field wall. A groundout moved the runner to third as a strikeout gave the Hens two outs in the inning. A grounder to Andrew Navigato at shortstop almost ended the inning, but the batter beat the throw at first by a step to score another run making it 3-0.

A pair of walks by Bligh Madris and Eddys Leonard in the bottom of the second put runners aboard with no outs. Justice Bigbie was able to get a run home as he singled up the middle. That was all the Hens would get as a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.

Then in the top of the third, Bryan Sammons replaced Englert on the mound. To his first batter faced, Sammons allowed a double along with an infield hit to put runners on first and second with no outs. A double play then scored a run with a strikeout ending the inning as the Indians lead 4-1 now.

A quiet bottom of the third put us in the top of the fourth as yet another lead-off double for the Indians put a runner on second with him stealing third quickly after. A sac-fly then added on to the Indianapolis lead to 5-1 now. A single and an error gave the Indians runners at first and second with just one out. A pair of K’s by Sammons would end the inning.

Navigato and Leonard then led off the bottom of the fourth with walks. Bigbie also walked to load up the bases with just one out, and Stephen Scott entered the batter's box. Scott would strikeout but Oscar Mercado would single to left field which initially scored two runs with Bigbie attempting to reach third on the play as a bad throw then made Bigbie go home in which he scored to now make it 5-4.

Sammons then allowed a single and hit a batter to put runners on first and second, but Sammons was able to strike out two and record a fly out to end the inning.

The Hens went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth as Garrett Hill replaced Sammons in the top of the sixth. Hill to his first batter, gave up a solo home run to make it 6-4. A single and a double then put runners on second and third. A strikeout and a fly-out ended yet another rally by the Indians.

The Hens then had their second consecutive 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, the Indians hit yet another double as a single would drive the runner in to make it 7-4.

The Hens then for the third consecutive inning went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Hill started the eighth as he allowed a single along with a double play that would end his day as Andrew Magno came in and recorded a pop-out to end the inning.

In the top of the eighth, Akil Baddoo broke the chain of 1-2-3 innings as he singled along with Madris walking to put runners on first and second with two outs. Leonard would then get hit by a pitch to load up the bases. Bigbie would add two more RBIs to his day as he singles to right field to score a pair to make it 7-6.

In the top of the ninth a single and a double from Indianapolis had them knocking on the door yet again as a single later scored them both to make it 9-6. The bases would load up, but Tim Federowicz called in Chase Lee to get out of the jam which he did.

In the bottom of the ninth, Riley Unroe led off with a walk as Ryan Vilade singled to right to start a rally. Drew Maggi then hit a sac-fly to right center to move Unroe to third. Baddoo struck out to bring up Navigato as the last hope. Navigato would pop out in foul territory to end the game in favor of the Indians 9-6.

The Mud Hens and Indians are back in action tomorrow with the first pitch being set for 6:35 p.m.

Notables:

Justice Bigbie (2-3, 3 RBI, R, BB)

Oscar Mercado (1-3, 2 RBI, K)