Joe Rizzo walks off Bisons with two run homer

Joe Rizzo played the hero tonight for the Toledo Mud Hens with a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the Buffalo Bisons 7-5. Toledo advances to 26-35 with the win, as Buffalo falls to 28-34.

Matt Wisler started the game for Toledo and was used as an opener. He retired each of the first three batters he faced, and was replaced in the second inning for Brenan Hanifee, the traditional starter. Hanifee pitched four more shutout innings, gave up four hits, no walks, and struck out two. Rony Garcia gave up a run in his 1.1 innings of work, and Brendan White pitched another 1.2 shutout innings with three strikeouts.

Andre Lipcius got the Hens on the board in the fourth inning with a solo home run, his fifth of the year. The next inning, Brendon Davis and Parker Meadows hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Hens a 3-0 lead. In the sixth, Brendon Davis picked up another RBI hit, this time scoring two with a bases loaded single.

The Hens had a 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Miguel Diaz came in to close out the game but ran into trouble. The Bisons hit three straight doubles to start the inning and, after a walk to Cam Eden, had the tying run on first base with no outs. Tanner Morris attempted to bunt the runners over but popped it up to third baseman Joe Rizzo, who caught it and threw back to second base for the double play. Another walk put the tying run on once again, and down their final out, Rafael Lantigua hit the Bisons fourth double of the inning to score two and tie the game.

The Hens entered the ninth inning with no interest in giving the Bisons another chance in extra innings. With two outs, Andre Lipcius hit an infield single, and on the very next pitch, Joe Rizzo hit an opposite field walk-off homer to left field to win the game.

It was Rizzo’s first game as a Mud Hen, having just been traded to Detroit from Miami for cash considerations a few days prior. It was also the first home run of his career at the AAA level, having only played 11 AAA games before tonight. The 25-year-old began his career with Seattle and hit a career high 21 home runs last year for AA Arkansas.

The series finale between Toledo and Buffalo is scheduled for 2:05 P.M. tomorrow afternoon at Fifth Third Field.

Notables:

Brendon Davis: 2-3, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB

Joe Rizzo: 2-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI

Andre Lipcius: 2-5, HR, 2 R, RBI

Corey Joyce: 1-2, 3B, R, 2 HBP, SB

Brenan Hanifee: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Brendan White: H, 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K