Hens clinch series win over Rochester 

ROCHESTER, New York – The Mud Hens took on the Rochester Red Wings for game five of the series, looking to clinch a series victory after last night’s win. The lefty, Ricardo Sanchez took the mound for the Mud Hens looking to lead Toledo to 12 games over .500. The Mud Hens were currently sitting in third place in the IL West division, trailing 8.5 games behind the first place Nashville Sounds. The Mud Hens looked to keep creeping up in the standings, as the beginning of the final month of baseball continues.

The Mud Hens wasted no time in the first inning, as Josh Lester would belt the ball to deep right field with two away. He would crush his 25th home run (leads team, 4th in IL) of the year to give the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead. Brendon Davis would follow up with a home run for himself, as the Mud Hens went back-to-back to give the Hens a 2-0 lead to end the first. Ricardo Sanchez would continue the success in the bottom half of the first, as he obtained a 1-2-3 inning, with a strikeout.

Toledo’s offense would continue to hit phenomenally in the second, as John Valente led off reaching first with an infield single. A ground ball would move him to second. Then, Jack Lopez would tally his eleventh double of the season to drive in Valente. Next batter, Zack Short would hit an infield single to put runners at the corners with two away. Daz Cameron would drive in Lopez with an RBI single to give the Hens a 4-0 lead. Cameron now has 31 RBIs this season. The Red Wings would respond in the bottom half, as they tallied a run with two away, hitting an RBI double to make it a 4-1 game. The bats would stay quiet on both sides in the third, as the Hens led the first three innings. Sanchez had only given up one hit at this point in the ballgame.

As the bats from the fourth and fifth inning stayed quiet, Ricardo Sanchez would finish his tremendous start. He would go five strong innings, giving up just one run on two hits. He allowed two walks and struck out four batters. At one point, he retired six batters in a row. Nolan Blackwood would come into replace Sanchez but would give up a run as the Red Wings cut the lead in half to end the sixth. The Red Wings would try to rally in the seventh, after leading off with a triple. However, Shea Spitzbarth would obtain a popup and a strikeout. Spitzbarth would tally the final out with another popup to leave the runner was left stranded.

Leading 4-2 in the eighth inning, the Mud Hens would tally their third home runs of the ballgame. Daz Cameron would get the insurance run on one swing of the bat to give the Hens a 5-2 lead. Cameron now has six home runs this season. Miguel Diaz would continue the success in the bottom half, as he struck out the side. Miguel Del Pozo would be the final Mud Hen out of the pen, as he came in to save the game in the ninth. He struck out two batters in the process. The Mud Hens took game five of the series with a score of 5-2, clinching them a series victory over the Rochester Red Wings.

NOTABLE BATTERS:

Daz Cameron: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, R

Josh Lester: 1-2, HR, RBI, R

Brendon Davis: 1-4, HR, RBI, R, K

NOTABLE PITCHERS:

Ricardo Sanchez: W (7-5), 5.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 4 K

Miguel Diaz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Miguel Del Pozo: SV (7), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K

NEXT UP: The Mud Hens will look to close out the series with a win tomorrow. Joey Wentz is set to take the mound at 1:05pm ET.