IronPigs score eight in the ninth to beat Mud Hens

Toledo, OH - The Toledo Mud Hens dropped game three of the series to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9-2.

Bryan Sammons was the starting pitcher for manager Anthony Iapoce and the Mud Hens. After allowing a leadoff single to Weston Wilson, Sammons picked him off at first base before throwing a pitch to the next batter. Jake Cave slugged a one-out double down the right field line but wasn't able to score as Sammons escaped the inning, leaving the runner stranded.

Starting on the mound for Lehigh Valley was Drew Hutchinson. Hutchinson retired the first inning in order, striking out all three batters.

Two straight one-out singles from the IronPigs put runners on first and second, making it their second time having a runner in scoring position for the second time in two innings. After recording a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Sammons walked a batter to load the bases. Sammons then put up another strikeout on his stat line to end the second inning and keep the game scoreless.

To start the bottom of the second inning, Tyler Nevin roped a double to right-center field to put himself in scoring position for the Mud Hens. Later in the inning, a ground ball allowed Nevin to advance to third with two outs. During the Grant Witherspoon turn at-bat, a passed ball allowed Nevin to score and give the Hens a 1-0 lead.

Both teams were kept off the scoreboard in the third inning. Detroit Tigers' number one prospect Colt Keith roped a double off the right field wall to lead off the bottom fourth inning as Hutchinson retired the next three batters in order to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Iron strung together back-to-back singles to start the inning. Fortunately for the Mud Hens, Sammons recorded the next three outs in order to strand the base runners and keep the 1-0 lead.

Bryan Sammons' day finished after pitching five scoreless innings for the Mud Hens and striking out five IronPigs along the way. Blair Calvo pitched the sixth inning out of the bullpen for the Hens and retired the side without giving up a run in his outing.

Sam Clay entered the game from the bullpen to pitch the seventh inning for the Mud Hens. After getting a double play to clear the base, Weston Wilson slugged a solo shot to tie the game 1-1 in the seventh inning. Clay also pitched a scoreless eighth inning to take the game to the bottom of the eighth inning.

Joh Valente led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a double off of the new relief pitcher Ben Bowden who started the inning on the mound. Later in the inning, Nick Solak worked a one-out to put runners on first and second. Bowden bared down and struck out the next two batters to strand the runners and push the game to the ninth inning tied at one.

Miguel Diaz came into the game to pitch the ninth inning out of the bullpen for the Mud Hens. The IronPigs started the inning with a single then a one-out hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second for the hot bat of Weston Wilson. Wilson worked a walk to load the bases up for the IronPigs. Jake Cave drove a single to left field scoring one run and giving the IronPigs a 2-1 lead. Diaz then walked a batter with the bases loaded to bring in the IronPigs' second run of the inning making it a 3-1. Dustin Peterson then singled up the middle to score two more runs and blew the game open for the IronPigs making it 5-1. That single marked the end of Miguel Diaz's day on the mound. Coach Iapoce went to Rony Garcia for the last two outs of the inning. Garcia walked the first batter he faced, then allowed a sac-fly for the IronPigs' fifth run of the inning to go up 6-1. With runners on second and third, Scott Kingery slugged a double into the gap in right-center field to score the seventh and eighth run of the inning.

Connor Brogdon entered the game in the ninth inning for the IronPigs. Joe Rizzo led off the inning with a single that bounced off of Brogdon on the mound. After the single, Brogdon was able to retire the next two batters in order. Johan Camargo roped a single to center field that scored Rizzo from second to make it a 9-2 ball game. Brogdon then got the final out after allowing the single to secure the 9-2 win.

NOTABLES:

Bryan Sammons: 5 IP, 7 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K

John Valente: 2-4, RBI, 2B