Hens late night rally falls short

TOLEDO – The Toledo Mud Hens fell to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 7-5 on Saturday night in a seven-inning contest at Fifth Third Field. A two hour rain delay caused the game to begin after nine pm, meaning the game would be shortened to seven innings.

The pitching match-up would consist of Sawyer Gipson-Long for the Mud Hens in his Triple-A debut, squaring off against Bailey Falter for the IronPigs.

Gipson-Long’s first inning would be a little rough. Simon Muzziotti would smack a leadoff single to get the Pigs rolling. Weston Wilson would strikeout for the first out of the game. Darick Hall would hit a single to put a second runner on base for the IronPigs. Gipson-Long would strikeout Drew Ellis for the second out of the inning. Kody Clemens would club a three-run home run to put the IronPigs up 3-0 right away. Rafael Marchan would then strikeout due to a pitch-clock violation to end the inning. Gipson-Long’s first inning in Triple-A resulted in three runs, but also three strikeouts.

Parker Meadows grounded out for the first out against Falter. Nick Solak would draw a walk to put the Mud Hens on the bases. Falter would then strikeout Colt Keith and get Tyler Nevin to lineout to end the inning.

Gipson-Long would retire the IronPigs in order in the second inning. Jordan Qsar would strikeout and Esteban Quiroz would lineout back to the mound for the second out. After a visit to the mound, Gipson-Long would get Cal Stevenson to groundout to end the inning.

Bailey Falter would get three outs in three batters, but not quite in the same way. Donny Sands lined out on the first pitch he saw for the first out. Joe Rizzo would single on the second pitch he saw, before being erased on a double play by Johan Camargo. Falter got out of the inning after only throwing five pitches.

Gipson-Long would get Muzziotti to lineout and Wilson to groundout for the first two outs of the inning. Ellis would reach via a single with two outs in the inning. Ellis would be stranded after Clemens would groundout to end the inning.

Corey Joyce would strikeout to begin Falter’s third inning of work. John Valente would single to get the inning started for the Mud Hens. Meadows would walk to put two runners on base with one out for the Hens. Solak would ground into a force out for the second out of the inning. Colt Keith would get the Mud Hens on the board with a RBI single, scoring Valente, but Solak would be thrown out at the plate to end the inning with the score at 3-1 in favor of the IronPigs.

Gipson-Long would retire the side in the fourth inning, needing 11 pitches to get through the inning. Marchan would flyout, Qsar struck out and Quiroz lined out to end the inning.

Nevin would walk to begin the inning, but would be stranded after Falter retired the next three batters. Sands flied out, Rizzo struck out and Camargo flied out to end the inning. That would end the night for Falter after pitching 4.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.

Gipson-Long would return for the fifth inning of his debut. Stevenson would groundout to begin the inning. Muzziotti would follow with a one-out single to get the Pigs on the bases. Wilson would strikeout for the second out. Hall would reach on a single to put a second runner on base, but both would be stranded after Ellis struck out to end the inning and the night for Gipson-Long. Gipson-Long would take the loss, pitching 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits (one home run), one walk and seven strikeouts. Gipson-Long is 0-1 on the season.

Noah Song would enter to pitch the bottom of the fifth inning for Lehigh Valley. Song would get Joyce to groundout for the first out. Valente would leg out his second triple of the season to put a runner at third. Meadows would walk to put runners on the corners with one out. Keith would hit his second RBI single of the game, making it 3-2 in favor of the IronPigs. Song would strikeout Nevin to end the inning.

Blair Calvo entered the game in the sixth inning for the Mud Hens. Clemens would get hit by the pitch, Marchan singled and Qsar walked to load the bases right away for the Mud Hens. Quiroz would hit a two-run single and Stevenson would single home another to make it 6-2 for the IronPigs. Muzzioti would ground into a force out the erased Stevenson. Muzziotti would the swipe second base. Calvo would strikeout Wilson and induced a groundout by Hall to end the inning and Calvo’s outing. Calvo pitched 1.0 inning, allowing three runs on three hits, one walk and one strikeout.

Song would return to pitch the bottom of the sixth inning, and would need just eight pitches to retire the side in order. Sands would flyout on the first pitch, Rizzo would groundout on the second pitch, and Camargo would strikeout on five pitches to end the inning. That would end Song’s night after 2.0 innings pitched, allowing one run on two hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Song would claim the win, improving to 1-0.

Matt Wisler would enter to pitch the final inning for the Mud Hens. An Ellis flyout and a Clemens groundout would be the first two outs of the inning. But a double by Marchan and a walk of Qsar would set the IronPigs up for more scoring. Quiroz would knock a RBI single to make it 7-2. Stevenson would be called out on strikes to end the inning. That would be the end of the night for Wisler and the Mud Hens defense. Wisler pitched 1.0 inning, allowing one run on two hits, one walk and one strikeout.

Luis Ortiz would enter to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning for the IronPigs. Joyce, Valente and Meadows would each single to load the bases to start the inning. Solak would popout in foul territory for the first out. Keith would draw a bases-loaded walk to drive in both his and the Mud Hens’ third run, making it 7-3. Nevin would smack a two-run single, keeping it interesting at 7-5. Alas, the Christmas miracle came up short, as Sands would ground into a game-ending double play. Ortiz would finish with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk.

NOTABLES:

• Colt Keith: 2-3, 3 RBI, BB, K
• John Valente: 3-3, 3B, 2 R
• Tyler Nevin: 1-3, 2 RBI, BB, K
• Parker Meadows: 1-2, 2 BB
• Joe Rizzo: 1-3, K
• Sawyer Gipson-Long: L, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, HR, BB, 7 K

The Mud Hens will remain home to play host to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for the series finale tomorrow, Sunday, July 22^nd at Fifth Third Field with first pitch coming at 2:05 pm ET.