Back-and-forth scoring ends in loss to Round Rock
Round Rock, TX – The Toledo Mud Hens came up short in the series finale against the Round Rock Express on Sunday afternoon at Dell Diamond, falling 10-7 in a back-and-forth matchup. Right-hander Wilkel Hernandez (0-0, 3.00 ERA) made his first start of the season for the Mud Hens, while
Round Rock, TX – The Toledo Mud Hens came up short in the series finale against the Round Rock Express on Sunday afternoon at Dell Diamond, falling 10-7 in a back-and-forth matchup.
Right-hander Wilkel Hernandez (0-0, 3.00 ERA) made his first start of the season for the Mud Hens, while the Express sent righty Dane Dunning (0-0, 13.50 ERA) to the mound.
Much like the series opener, the wind conditions played a major role in the contest, contributing to missed catches, wild pitches, and a flurry of errors from both teams.
Toledo’s trouble began early, issuing back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the first. An RBI single from Justin Foscue drove in Evan Carter, putting Round Rock on the board. A throwing error during a double-play attempt resulted in another Express run as the ball skipped past first base.
After a wild pitch and another walk, Round Rock had runners on first and second, but a flyout to right field limited the damage.
Toledo responded quickly in the second, stringing together a double, walk, and two singles to spark a rally early. A ground ball single to right by Ben Gamel, followed by a wild pitch, moved him to third. After a walk and back-to-back singles from Eliezer Alfonzo and Jack Dunn, the Hens loaded the bases with no outs. Alfonzo picked up an RBI, and Dunn extended the inning.
A sacrifice fly from Riley Unroe tied the game, but the Express avoided further damage by recording two quick outs.
Round Rock bounced back in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff double and a pair of singles to reclaim a 3-2 lead. Though Blaine Crim grounded into a double play, Kellen Strahm scored to tack on another run.
In the third, a four-pitch walk put Andrew Navigato on base, and a wild pitch moved him to second. Gamel followed with a sharp single, driving Navigato home and cutting the deficit to one.
Toledo’s defense came alive in the bottom half of the frame, retiring the Express in order to keep the game within reach.
In the fourth, Unroe launched a solo home run to right field, tying the game once more. That marked the end of Dunning’s day, who exited after 3.1 innings pitched, allowing four runs on five hits (four earned), and one home run. Round Rock brought in Cole Winn as relief.
The Mud Hens also turned to their bullpen, calling on Tyler Owens to replace Hernandez, who finished with four runs on four hits, three walks, and a 6.43 ERA.
Owens struggled to find the zone, issuing two walks to open the fifth. A force out from Foscue brought Carter across the plate, giving Round Rock the lead again. Two fielding errors loaded the bases, and a bases-clearing double blew the game open, giving the Express an 8-4 advantage.
Toledo showed resilience in the sixth. Two walks set the table, and Jahmai Jones got a base hit on a soft grounder back to the pitcher. A wild throw to first—again aided by gusty winds—allowed another Hens run.
That sequence prompted another pitching change for Round Rock, as Dane Acker took over for Winn.
With the wind continuing to wreak havoc, the Hens made another bullpen move, bringing in Carlos Pena after Owens allowed four runs on two hits and four walks over a single inning. Pena, who closed out Thursday’s 12-inning win.
However, Crim continued his hot streak with a two-run double, padding the Express lead to 10-5.
The seventh inning went scoreless, but Toledo refused to go quietly in the eighth.
The first three Hens batters reached base. A fielding error allowed Bligh Madris to get to first, and singles from Alfonzo and Dunn loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly brought in a run, but Dunn was tagged out at second in a rare 8-4-6 double play.
Jones narrowed the gap with a sharply-hit RBI single to left, scoring Alfonzo and trimming the deficit to 10-7.
Looking to keep the momentum alive, Toledo turned to Jordan Balazovic to hold Round Rock scoreless. Despite a double from Crim and a single by Foscue, the Mud Hens defense locked in to keep the Express from scoring again.
Down three in the ninth, the Hens couldn’t complete the comeback, as Round Rock held on for the 10-7 win.
Notables:
Riley Unroe – 1 R, 1 H, 3 RBI
Ben Gamel – 1 R, 3 H, 1 RBI
Jack Dunn – 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB
Eliezer Alfonzo – 1 R, 2 H, 1 RB
The Mud Hens return home to begin a series against the Iowa Cubs. Game one is set for Tuesday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Mud Hens battle in extra-innings, fall short to Indians 5-4
INDIANAPOLIS, IN-The Toledo Mud Hens squared off against the Indianapolis Indians on Wednesday, April 16, at Victory Field, with first pitch at 11:05 a.m. Hao-Yu Lee sparked the offense early with a leadoff single to left field, but the Mud Hens’ opening momentum was cut short by an inning-ending double
Hens fall 2-0 in series finale with Cubs
TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo Mud Hens dropped their series finale against the Iowa Cubs 2-0 Sunday afternoon. While pitching remained resilient for Toledo, their struggles on offense left them scoreless. Looking to secure a series tie, the Mud Hens went with Lael Lockhart on the mound. The southpaw came
Five-run ninth leads to Tuesday night win in Indy
Indianapolis, IN – The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Indianapolis Indians at Victory Field, winning the first game of the home stand on Tuesday evening by a score of 11–6. Toledo sent right-hander Matt Manning to the mound, entering the game 0–1 with a 6.97 ERA. For Indy, right-hander Braxton
Mud Hens lose both games against Cubs in Saturday night double-header
TOLEDO, OH-The Toledo Mud Hens faced the Iowa Cubs in a seven inning double-header on Saturday, April 12th, at Fifth Third Field. In game one, Toledo opened with sharp defense behind starting pitcher Dietrich Enns, retiring the first six Iowa batters across the first two innings. However, the Mud Hens
Mud Hens take series lead against Cubs with 7-3 victory
TOLEDO, OH - The Toledo Mud Hens and the Iowa Cubs both looked to take a series lead in game three Friday night, but it would be the Mud Hens getting the best of the Cubs with a 7-3 victory. Toledo got ahead early and held on late by adding
Montero and the Hens shutout the Cubs
TOLEDO, OH - After a brutal 14-1 loss on Tuesday, the Mud Hens turned things around against the Cubs on Thursday with a 1-0 victory. The rainout on Wednesday put the Hens in an odd situation for pitching, but it turned out to be to their benefit. Toledo’s pitching staff
Alfonzo records a hit and RBI in Tuesday loss to Iowa
Toledo, OH – The Toledo Mud Hens opened their home stand on a rough note Tuesday night, falling 14-1 to the Iowa Cubs at Fifth Third Field. Left-hander Lael Lockhart took the mound for Toledo, entering the game with a 5.68 ERA. Iowa countered with righty Chris Flexen, who wasted
Enns, Madris star in extra inning loss to Round Rock
ROUND ROCK, TX – The Toledo Mud Hens fell 6-4 in ten innings to the Round Rock Express on Saturday night at Dell Diamond. The Hens entered the night in search of their second win of the week, trying to position themselves for a series split on Sunday. The pitching
The Mud Hens aim for redemption after tough game against Round Rock
Round Rock, Texas-The Toledo Mud Hens squared off against the Round Rock Express on Friday, April 4, where, despite some solid individual performances, an early deficit proved too much for the Mud Hens to overcome, losing the game 7-1. Round Rock came out swinging, with their first four batters reaching
Lockhart dices up Express batters in rally attempt
The Mud Hens met with the Express for only the second time in the two clubs’ history Wednesday night in Round Rock, Texas. The two teams kept things tight all-game long, with the Express taking an early lead and the Hens working from behind let. In the end though, it
Mud Hens complete comeback in 12 innings against the Express
Round Rock, TX - The Toledo Mud Hens continued their trip down south with a wild 7-4 comeback win in extra innings against the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond on Thursday night. While the Mud Hens struggled to put runs on the board early, the tables turned as Toledo’s
Wind plays big roll in Mud Hens 8-4 loss to Express
For the first time ever, the Toledo Mud Hens faced off against the Round Rock Express in the Triple-A Interleague series. The Hens would fall 8-4 to the Express. The windy conditions in Round Rock played a big role in the game, having game-changing impacts on both squads. Standing in
Hens fend off Clippers' rally for first win of the season
The Toledo Mud Hens picked up their first victory of the 2025 season with a 6-5 victory over the Columbus Clippers on Sunday. While the Clippers refused to lay down and die, the Hens were able to fend off a ninth inning rally. In the end, Toledo pitchers were able
Strong relief performance, late rallies fall short
Toledo, OH – The Toledo Mud Hens fell to the Columbus Clippers 7-6 despite a valiant comeback attempt on Saturday afternoon at Fifth Third Field. Matt Manning toed the rubber for the Mud Hens, while Ryan Webb took the ball for the visitors in game two. The Hens took a
Hens hit three home runs in front of Opening Day crowd
The Toledo Mud Hens opened the 2025 season in front of over 12,000 fans with an 8-5 loss against the Columbus Clippers Friday afternoon. The Hens and Clippers went back and forth all game, but ultimately fell short. Toledo went with lefty Lael Lockhart as the Opening Day starter who,
Gabe Alvarez named 2025 Mud Hens manager
Toledo, OH – The Detroit Tigers and Toledo Mud Hens announced that Gabe Alvarez has been named manager of the Triple-A affiliate for the 2025 season. Alvarez is the 12th person to manage the Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field and the 60th in Toledo baseball history. Alvarez comes to
A history of Negro Leagues baseball in Toledo
TOLEDO, OH – The city of Toledo holds a rich history in the game of baseball. As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s look back at Toledo’s Negro Leagues baseball history. The 1923 Toledo Tigers were a member of the Negro National League (NNL). The team only lasted a short