Mud Hens fall to Iowa despite early offense

DES MOINES, Iowa - Despite home runs from Justyn-Henry Malloy and Tyler Nevin in the top of the first inning, the Toledo Mud Hens fell to the Iowa Cubs, 5-4, on Thursday afternoon (May 11) at Principal Park.

Zach Logue (1-2) made his sixth start of the season for the Mud Hens, while Caleb Killian (2-0) was given the start for the Cubs.

The Mud Hens jumped out to an early lead after a hot start at the plate. Parker Meadows reached on a leadoff double, and Malloy drove him home with a two-run home run. In the very next at bat, Nevin hit a solo home run to give Toledo a 3-0 advantage.

The Cubs would threaten with a ground rule double by Jake Slaughter in the bottom of the first, but Logue set down the next two batters to leave Slaughter on base and keep the Cubs scoreless.

After a scoreless second inning, Sergio Alcantara hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third to cut the Toledo lead to 3-1. Logue surrendered a walk to Miles Mastrobuoni, and Slaughter hit a two-run home run to tie the game at three runs apiece.

The Mud Hens would load the bases in the top of the fourth after Andrew Knapp hit a single, Jonathan Davis walked and Corey Joyce was hit by a pitch. Meadows grounded into a fielder’s choice to score one run before Malloy flied out to deep left field to end the inning.

Logue set down three Cubs batters in order, keeping the Mud Hens lead at 4-3 at the end of the fourth inning.

After both teams were held scoreless in the fifth inning, Layne Henderson replaced Logue for the bottom of the sixth inning. Henderson gave up a leadoff double to David Bote, and Yonathan Perlaza tripled to tie the game at four. Brennan Davis then hit an RBI single, scoring Perlaza and giving the Cubs a 5-4 lead. Aneurys Zabala replaced Henderson on the mound to end the inning.

Despite scoreless innings from Zabala and Garrett Hill, the Mud Hens bats were stifled by a quartet of Cubs relievers. In the final four innings, the Hens managed to get just one hit against Drew Sanders, Bailey Horn, Rowan Wick and Nick Burdi, falling in game three of the series, 5-4.

Sanders (1-0) earned the win for the Cubs, while Henderson (1-1) took the loss for the Mud Hens. Burdi (4) was awarded the save for Iowa.

The Mud Hens will face the Cubs again on Friday night (May 12) at 8:08 p.m. ET at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

NOTABLES:

• Parker Meadows: 2-4, 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Justyn-Henry Malloy: 2-4, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Tyler Nevin: 1-4, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Zach Logue: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Aneurys Zabala: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• Garrett Hill: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K