Mud Hens plate 10 in third straight win

Toledo, Ohio – The Toledo Mud Hens secured their third straight win over the Louisville Bats Friday night by a score of 10-6. The win pushed the Hens’ record above .500 for the first time since opening week. Despite the high final score, Toledo did most of their damage on offense with singles and walks, only recording two extra base hits, both by Kody Clemens.

RHP Drew Hutchison got the starting nod, looking to build off his best start of the season last Saturday against the Memphis Redbirds. Hutchison would pitch a stress free first inning, surrendering a lone two out walk before retiring the side. Looking to jump out to an early lead, the Mud Hens would be limited to an Aderlin Rodriguez walk in the bottom of the first.

Still tied at 0-0, Drew Hutchison returned to the mound and threw the first 1-2-3 inning of the game, notching a pair of strikeouts in the process. Renato Nunez led off the bottom of the second with an infield single before Kody Clemens roped a single into center field. A walk to Zack Short proceeded to load the bases for Christin Stewart. The Hens would end up scoring the first run of the game the same way they walked off yesterday’s victory, with a bases loaded hit by pitch. With Stewart reaching and the bases still juiced, Jacoby Jones drew a walk to extend the Hens lead to 2-0. Toledo wasn’t done yet though, as Jacob Robson muscled a base knock into right field, scoring two. Aderlin Rodriguez then continued the hit parade with a single to left, scoring Jones and advancing Robson to third. Yariel Gonzalez also singled, scoring Robson and extending the Mud Hens lead 6-0.

After a very long second inning, Drew Hutchison didn’t miss a beat in the top of the third, recording his second straight 1-2-3 inning, dispatching all three batters with softly hit groundouts. Kody Clemens would reach base on a throwing error in the bottom of the third, but would later be caught stealing for the third out.

It was a slightly more stressful fourth inning for Hutchison, surrendering a walk and a single back to back with two outs. Hutch would end the threat with his fourth strikeout of the game, keeping the score 6-0. Jacob Robson recorded his second hit of the night in the bottom of the fourth, extending his hitting streak to three games. Aderlin Rodriguez and Yariel Gonzalez also singled in the fourth, both collecting their second hit of the night as well. Robson would score on the Gonzalez single, extending the Hens lead to 7-0.

It was a rocky inning for Hutchison in the top of the fifth as two early base runners came around to score on a Louisville round tripper, cutting the lead to 7-3. Hutch was able to get the final two outs to end the inning, limiting the damage to just the three runs. In the bottom of the fifth Kody Clemens would continue his hot night, hitting his third triple of the season as he recorded his second hit of the night. A walk to Zack Short put runners at the corners for Christin Stewart. Stewart would hit into a fielders choice, scoring Clemens and advancing Short to third. Juan Centeno would later hit a bloop single into left field scoring Short and bring the Hens lead up to 9-3.

Returning for the top of the sixth, Hutchison surrendered a lone run on a leadoff double that came back to score despite retiring the next three consecutive batters. Jacob Robson reached base for the third time in the bottom of the sixth, drawing a leadoff walk. Robson would later be caught stealing as the Bats closed out the inning.

RHP Nolan Blackwood entered the game to start the seventh inning, ending the night for Hutchison, whose final line was 6 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, and 5 K’s. Blackwood would get into trouble early, giving up a single and walk back to back to opening the inning. Both runners would come around to score on an RBI single and force out. With their lead now cut to 9-6, Kody Clemens recorded his third hit of the night on a double to right, now just a homer shy of the cycle. Clemens would come around to score on a Zack Short single, although Short was called out after trying to extend the single into a double.

Despite leading 10-6, the Hens were looking to limit the Bats to their first scoreless inning since the fourth. In response, the Mud Hens dialed up LHP Ian Krol out of the pen to start the top of the eighth. Krol would work his way around a leadoff single and two out walk en route to a scoreless inning. The Mud Hens offense would be limited to a Jacoby Jones single in the bottom of the eighth as the Hens were sat down relatively quickly.

LHP Miguel Del Pozo entered the game to pitch the top of the ninth, looking to put the finishing touches on the Hens third straight win. Del Pozo would do just that, logging a 1-2-3 inning and clinching a 10-6 victory.

What’s Next: The Mud Hens play game five of a six games series against the Bats tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Kids will be able to run the bases upon the conclusion of the game.