Home runs prove costly in Mud Hens loss

Toledo, OH - A fifth-inning grand slam and two fielding errors would be the damage Monday in the 15-4 Toledo Mud Hens loss to the Louisville Bats. 

It's the first loss for the Mud Hens against their International League West Division rival after sweeping the season-opening series earlier this month. 
Toledo, who's allowed 35 runs in the last three games, drops to 8-15 overall and 1-6 in its last seven games at Fifth Third Field. 
The Bats opened the first inning with three consecutive singles, including an RBI to left field from Rob Refsnyder, before starter Nick Ramirez (L, 0-1) struck out two in his debut appearance with Toledo. 
Ramirez signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers back in December and was recalled from Double-A Erie on April 25.
The former first baseman and 2011 Milwaukee Brewers fourth-round draft pick previously pitched in three games for the SeaWolves this season. 
Harold Castro would extend his hitting streak to 12 games as his line drive single scored Danny Woodrow for the 1-1 tie. Woodrow led off with a sliding triple and finished 2-for-5. 
In those 12 games, Castro is batting over .300 with two doubles, three home runs and 20 RBIs. He's one game away from tying the team-high which is currently held by Willi Castro. 
A fielding error by newcomer Dustin Peterson in the second inning gave way to Louisville extending their lead to three on Josh VanMeter's first-of-three home runs to right field. 
Ramirez allowed just five blasts in 39 total games in the final of his eight years with the Brewers organizaton last season.
The Mud Hens managed to cut the deficit in their next at-bat with Chace Numata registering his fourth hit and second RBI in his second game since transferring from Double-A Erie last Friday. 
Numata, the native of Pearl City, Hawaii, is a former 14th-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2010. The 26-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Tigers back in early March. 
John Schreiber, coming off a 2018 campaign where he compiled a 3-7 record and 2.48 ERA with Double-A Erie, relieved Ramirez to begin the fifth inning and retired two batters before being pulled for Matt Hall.
Louisville had the bases loaded on a walk and double with two outs, finishing out the stretch with five recorded runs, including VanMeter's grand slam. Toledo would then make it 9-4 on Mikie Mahtook's third home run in two games. 
Mahtook has finished with at least one hit in nine of the 10 games played for the Mud Hens this season. The 2011 Tampa Bay Rays first-round draft pick entered Monday with a .452/.561/.871 slash line in Triple-A. 
Hall remained on the mound for the final four innings, allowing three of the five total home runs amassed by the Bats, who drew back-to-back solos with two outs in the ninth from VanMeter and Nick Senzel. Going into the ninth, Toledo trailed 12-4. 
Louisville starter José López (W, 2-2) threw five innings and gave up eight hits, four runs and four earned runs on 96 pitches. 
What's Next: 
Kyle Funkhouser (0-3, 9.22 ERA) is probable to start Tuesday in the second of a three-game series against the Bats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. (EST). 
Live coverage is available on MiLB.TV, Buckeye Cable Sports Network and Fox Sports 1230 WCWA-AM. "Round the Bases" with Jim Weber and Matt Melzak begins at 6:00 p.m. (EST).
#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. RHP Beau Burrows : DNP
8. OF Daz Cameron : DNP
9. RHP Kyle Funkhouser : DNP
10. IF Willi Castro : 1-for-2, 2 Walks
15. IF Dawel Lugo : 0-for-4
18. OF Jacob Robson : 0-for-4
22. RHP Bryan Garcia : DNP (IL)
23. LHP Matt Hall : DNP
24. LHP Tyler Alexander : DNP
26. RHP Sandy Baez : DNP
Hens Notes:
• Prior to the start of Monday's game, the Mud Hens transferred both Josh Lester and Trent Szkutnik to Double-A Erie while Spenser Watkins was brought back up. Watkins pitched 5.2 innings against the Charlotte Knights on April 25. 
• Opposing clubs have garnered double-digits runs four times against the Mud Hens this year. 
• Ramirez, the 29-year-old out of Anaheim Hills, California, transitioned to the mound in 2017 and earned a Southern League All-Star appearance with Double-A Biloxi last season. He came into the 2019 season having struck out 107 batters in 147.2 innings.