Kreidler, Bigbie homer in loss

1. PAUL, Min. – The Toledo Mud Hens fell to the St. Paul Saints 10-6 on Friday night at CHS Field.

The pitching matchup consisted of Zach Logue for the Mud Hens and Blayne Enlow for the Saints.

The game would begin with Nick Solak getting hit by a pitch, putting the Mud Hens on the bases right away. Justyn-Henry Malloy would flyout for the first out. Colt Keith would strikeout and Eddys Leonard would popout to end the inning.

Austin Martin would also begin the game getting hit by a pitch, but would get caught stealing second base for the first out. Nick Gordon would begin another rehab appearance with a flyout and Michael Helman would groundout to end the inning.

Nick Maton would get hit by a pitch to begin the second inning, the third consecutive half-inning to begin with a hit-by-pitch. Justice Bigbie would single to put a second runner on the bases. Ryan Kreidler would clobber a three-run home run to the opposite field, putting the Mud Hens up 3-0. Dillon Dingler would strikeout, Michael Papierski would flyout, and Solak would groundout to end the inning.

Yunior Severino would strikeout to begin the second inning. Hernan Perez would single, immediately followed by a two-run home run from Anthony Prato, making it 3-2 Mud Hens. Back-to-back singles by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Chris Williams and a hit-by-pitch of Tony Wolters would load the bases for the top of the order. Martin would hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track, tying the game at 3-3 with the second out. Gordon would walk to reload the bases. Helman would club a grand slam to dead centerfield, putting the Saints up 7-3, chasing Logue from the game. Logue would leave after 1.2 innings pitched, allowing seven runs on five hits (two home runs), one walk, two hit-by-pitches and one strikeout. Logue would collect the loss, falling to 3-10 on the season. Layne Henderson would enter the game to try and put out the fire. Severino would reach on an error, but would be stranded as Perez flied out to end the inning.

Enlow would retire the Mud Hens in order in the third inning. Malloy would lineout to begin the third inning, and back-to-back strikeouts by Keith and Leonard would end the inning. That would end the night for Enlow who left with a no-decision after 3.0 innings pitched, allowing three runs on two hits (one home run) with four strikeouts.

Prato would ambush Henderson by clubbing a leadoff home run, his second in as many at bats, making it 8-3. Henderson would recover by retiring each of the next three. Keirsey Jr. would groundout and Williams and Wolters would both strikeout to end the inning.

Brock Stewart entered the game in the fourth inning for the Saints. Maton would flyout to begin the inning. Bigbie would draw a one-out walk, but would be stranded as Kreidler and Dingler both struck out to end the inning. That would end Stewart’s night after 1.0 inning pitched, allowing one walk and two strikeouts.

Henderson would return to pitch the fourth inning for the Mud Hens. Henderson would get two quick outs, getting Martin to lineout and Gordon to groundout for the first two outs. A single by Helman and a two-run home run by Severino extended the St. Paul lead to 10-3. Henderson would get Perez to groundout to end the inning. That would end the night for Henderson after 2.1 innings pitched, allowing three runs on three hits (two home runs) with two strikeouts.

Jorge Alcala would enter to pitch for the Saints in the fifth inning. Alcala would strikeout Papierski, get Solak to groundout, then strikeout Malloy to end the inning.

Brendan White would enter to pitch the bottom of the fifth inning for the Mud Hens. Prato would draw a leadoff walk, but would be erased after Keirsey Jr. grounded into a double play. White would strikeout Williams to end the inning.

Alcala would return for a second inning of work in the sixth inning. Keith would lineout to begin the inning, followed by strikeouts of Leonard and Maton to end the inning. That would end the night for Alcala, collecting the win and improving to 2-1 on the season after 2.0 innings pitched with four strikeouts.

White would return to pitch the bottom of the sixth inning for the Mud Hens. White would retire the Saints in order, getting Wolters to groundout, then striking out both Martin and Gordon the end the inning. That would end the night for White after 2.0 innings pitched, allowing just one walk with three strikeouts.

Austin Schulfer would enter to pitch the seventh inning for the Saints. Bigbie would flyout to begin the inning. Kreidler would get hit by a pitch, the third Mud Hen to do so in the game, but would be erased as Dingler grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Blair Calvo would enter to pitch the bottom of the seventh inning for the Mud Hens. Helman would draw a leadoff walk. Helman would move to second on a groundout by Severino, then to third on a flyout by Perez. Helman would be stranded after Calvo struck out Prato to end the inning. That would end Calvo’s night after 1.0 inning pitched, walking one batter and striking out one batter.

Schulfer would return to pitch the eighth inning for the Saints. Brooks Lee would enter the game, replacing Gordon, moving Perez from shortstop to second base as Lee would man shortstop. Schulfer would retire the Mud Hens in order, striking out Papierski, getting Solak to flyout and striking out Malloy to end the inning.

Austin Bergner would enter to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning for the Mud Hens. Bergner would get two quick outs, getting Keirsey Jr. to lineout and Williams to strikeout. Wolters would club a two-out double off of the wall, but would be stranded after Martin struck out to end the inning. That would end the night for Bergner after 1.0 inning pitched, allowing one hit with two strikeouts.

Michael Boyle would enter to finish it out for the Saints in the ninth inning. Keith would lineout for the first out of the inning. Leonard would rope a one-out double and Maton would draw a walk to put two runners on the bases for the Hens. Bigbie would club a three-run home run, his first Triple-A home run, making it 10-6 Saints. Kreidler would strikeout and Dingler would flyout to end the game, sealing a 10-6 win for the Saints. Boyle finished with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing three runs on two hits (one home run), one walk and one strikeout.

NOTABLES:

• Justice Bigbie: 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
• Ryan Kreidler: 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2 K
• Eddys Leonard: 1-4, 2B, R, 2 K
• Brendan White: 2.0 IP, BB, 3 K
• Blair Calvo: 1.0 IP, BB, K
• Austin Bergner: 1.0 IP, H, 2 K

The Mud Hens will remain in St. Paul game five of the series against the Saints, and for the penultimate game of the 2023 season. Game five will be tomorrow, September 23^rd at CHS Field in St. Paul, MN with first pitch coming at 7:37 pm ET.