Hens demolish I-Cubs in big win

DES MOINES, Iow. – The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Iowa Cubs 19-8 on Saturday night at Principal Park.

The pitching match-up consisted of Ashton Goudeau for the Mud Hens and Michael Rucker for the I-Cubs.

Rucker would retire the Mud Hens in order to begin the ballgame, getting Parker Meadows to popout, Justyn-Henry Malloy to flyout and Colt Keith to strikeout.

Goudeau would get Pete Crow-Armstrong to lineout and Miles Mastrobuoni to groundout for two quick outs. Matt Mervis and Edwin Rios would hit back-to-back singles to get the I-Cubs rolling. Goudeau would strikeout Alexander Canario to strand the runners and retire the side.

Tyler Nevin would hit a leadoff single, but after a Wenceel Perez lineout and a Joe Rizzo flyout, Nevin would be erased on a fielder’s choice from Michael Papierski to end the inning.

Goudeau would begin the bottom of the second inning by striking out Jared Young. Jake Slaughter would follow it up with a solo home run to put the I-Cubs up 1-0. Goudeau would get Luis Vazquez to flyout on the very next pitch to reel it back in. P.J. Higgins hit a two-out single, but was stranded after Crow-Armstrong grounded out to end the inning.

Rucker would need just nine pitches to retire the Mud Hens in the third inning, getting Eddys Leonard to lineout, Corey Joyce to flyout and Meadows to strikeout. That would end the night for Rucker, who leaves with a no-decision after 3.0 innings pitched, allowing one hit and two strikeouts.

Goudeau got Mastrobuoni to popout to begin the inning. Mervis would walk to put the Cubs on the bases. Rios would strikeout on three pitches for the second out. Young would tag Goudeau for a two-run double to put the Cubs up 3-0. Goudeau would get Slaughter to flyout to end the inning.

Stephen Gonsalves would enter to begin the fourth inning to pitch for the I-Cubs. Malloy struck out looking for the first out. Keith tripled and scored on Nevin’s sacrifice fly, making it 3-1 Cubs. Gonsalves struck out Perez to end the inning.

Goudeau made quick work of the I-Cubs in the fourth inning, needing 10 pitches to retire the side in order. Vazquez flied out, Higgins lined out and Crow-Armstrong flied out to end the inning.

The fifth inning is when the floodgates began to open. Gonsalves walked Rizzo and Papierski to put two runners on base to begin the inning. Leonard singled to load the bases. That would chase Gonsalves from the game in favor of Luke Little. Little surrendered a RBI single to Joyce, making it 3-2 Cubs. Little struck out Meadows for the second out. Malloy and Keith would draw back-to-back bases loaded walks to put the Mud Hens in front 4-3. Little would bounce back with back-to-back strikeouts of Nevin and Perez to end the inning. Gonsalves finished his outing with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing three runs on one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.

Goudeau would get Mastrobuoni to flyout before a Mervis single and a Rios home run would put the Cubs back on top 5-4. Canario would single and be erased on a double play from Young to end the inning and Goudeau’s outing. Goudeau would claim the win after pitching 5.0 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits (two home runs), two walks and three strikeouts. Goudeau is now 2-5 on the season.

The Mud Hens came right back for more in the sixth inning. Rizzo singled to knock Little out of the game. Josh Roberson would enter for the I-Cubs. Papierski would greet him with a two-run home run to put the Mud Hens back in front 6-5. Leonard followed with a double to keep the runs rolling. Joyce struck out for the first out. Meadows clubbed his team-leading 18^th home run of the season, as he smoked a deep two-run home run to right field, making it 8-5 Mud Hens. Malloy drew a one-out walk, but would be stranded after back-to-back strikeouts of Keith and Nevin. That would close the book on Little after 1.0 inning pitched, allowing two runs on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Little would be handed his first blown save of the season.

Braden Bristo would enter to pitch the bottom of the sixth inning for the Mud Hens. Bristo would get Slaughter to lineout to begin the inning. Vazquez would walk and Higgins would club a two-run home run to make it 8-7 Mud Hens. Bristo would bounce back by striking out Crow-Armstrong and getting Mastrobuoni to flyout to end the inning. That would end Bristo’s night after 1.0 inning pitched, allowing two runs on one hit (one home run), one walk and one strikeout. Bristo would be awarded his first hold of the season.

Roberson would return for the start of the seventh inning. A walk by Perez and a Rizzo single would chase Roberson from the game. Bailey Horn would enter for the I-Cubs. A sacrifice fly by Papierski made it 9-7. Back-to-back singles from Leonard and Joyce would load the bases. Meadows would hit a sacrifice fly of his own and Malloy would hit a two-run double, making it 12-7 for the Mud Hens. Keith would popout to end the inning. That would close the book on Roberson. Roberson would finish with the loss after 1.0 inning pitched, allowing five runs on four hits (two home runs), two walks and three strikeouts.

Layne Henderson would enter to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning for the Mud Hens. Henderson would strikeout Mervis and get Rios to lineout for two quick outs. A double by Canario and back-to-back walks by Young and Slaughter would load the bases for Vazquez. Vazquez would draw a bases loaded walk to make it 12-8 Mud Hens, chasing Henderson from the game. Aneurys Zabala would enter, striking out Higgins to escape the jam and end the inning. Henderson would finish with 0.2 inning pitched, allowing one run on one hit, three walks and one strikeout.

Horn would return to begin the eighth inning on the mound. A Nevin single and a Perez walk put the Hens right back in action. Rizzo popped out for the first out. Papierski would be hit by a pitch to load the bases. Horn would walk Leonard to bring in another run, making it 13-8 Mud Hens. That would end the night for Horn, as Brendon Little would enter for the I-Cubs. Little would strikeout Joyce for the second out. Back-to-back singles from Meadows and Malloy would plate three runs, making it 16-8 and adding one and two RBI respectively for the two at the top of the team hitting ranks. Little would strikeout Keith to end the inning. That would close the book for both Horn and Little. Horn finished with 1.1 innings pitched, allowing six runs on four hits and two walks. Little pitched 0.2 inning, allowing two hits and two strikeouts.

Zabala would return to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning for the Mud Hens. The I-Cubs would try to start a rally as Crow-Armstrong singled and Mastrobuoni walked. Zabala would get Mervis to popout and back-to-back strikeouts of Rios and Canario to end the inning and escape the jam. That would close the book on Zabala after 1.1 innings pitched, allowing one hit and one walk with three strikeouts. Zabala would be awarded his team-high seventh hold.

For the second time in the series, Iowa would send a position player to the mound. This time, it was David Bote who would toe the rubber for the first time since August 29, 2015 as a member of the Single-A South Bend Cubs. Crow-Armstrong would make a leaping catch at the wall to rob Nevin of extra bases for the first out. Perez would walk and Rizzo would double to set-up more runs. Papierski clubbed a two-run double, making it 18-8 Mud Hens. After a flyout by Leonard, Joyce would single home Papierski to put the game at 19-8 where it would finish. Bote would get Meadows to flyout to end the inning. Bote would finish with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing three runs on three hits and one walk.

Blair Calvo would be tasked with finishing it out for the Mud Hens. A Young strikeout and Slaughter groundout would net Calvo two quick outs. Calvo would walk Vazquez and surrender a single to Higgins before striking out Crow-Armstrong to end the game. Calvo would pitch 1.0 inning, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two batters.

NOTABLES:

• Michael Papierski: 2-3, HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, BB
• Justyn-Henry Malloy: 2-4, 5 RBI, 2B, 2 BB, K
• Parker Meadows: 2-6, HR, 4 RBI, R, 2 K
• Corey Joyce: 3-6, 2 RBI, R, 2 K
• Eddys Leonard: 3-5, RBI, 2B, 4 R, BB
• Joe Rizzo: 3-5, 2B, 4 R, BB
• Tyler Nevin: 2-5, RBI, R, 2 K
• Colt Keith: 1-5, RBI, 3B, R, BB, 3 K
• Wenceel Perez: 0-3, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K
• Ashton Goudeau: W, 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 3 K
• Braden Bristo: HLD, 1.0 IP, H, 2 R, 2 ER, HR, BB, K
• Aneurys Zabala: HLD, 1.1 IP, H, BB, 3 K

The Toledo Mud Hens will remain in Iowa for the series finale against the Cubs on Sunday, August 6^th at Principal Park in Des Moines, IA, with first pitch coming at 2:08 pm ET.