Manning strikes out seven as Hens fall to Indians

INDIANAPOLIS – Matt Manning recorded a season-high seven strikeouts for the Toledo Mud Hens on Tuesday, but the Indianapolis Indians used four solo home runs to escape with a 4-3 win in their home opener at Victory Field.

Manning scattered just three hits in six innings of work, but all three resulted in home runs. Wladimir Pinto added a pair of strikeouts in his lone inning of relief, but was tagged with the loss after surrendering what proved to be the game-deciding solo shot in the last of the seventh before Miguel Del Pozo hurled a 1-2-3 eighth.

At the plate, Eric Haase and Aderlin Rodriguez each finished 2-for-4 with a double, while Cole Peterson went 1-for-2 with a triple, two walks, and a run. Though the Mud Hens (2-4) notched eight hits, five walks, two HBP and a fielder’s choice, they finished 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

The Indians (3-3) wasted no time getting on the board as Travis Swaggerty lined the fourth pitch of the game over the center-field wall to lead off the contest. Manning responded with back-to-back strikeouts of Cole Tucker and Kevin Kramer, but Will Craig whacked a solo homer to left-center that doubled Indy’s advantage.

The Mud Hens pulled even with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Making his season debut at the Triple-A level, Peterson pulled a leadoff triple down the right-field line, and scored when he slid home safely on Derek Hill’s fielder’s choice to third. With two outs, Toledo extended the inning when Isaac Paredes grounded a single through the right side and Renato Núñez was struck by a pitch before Christin Stewart drew a bases-loaded walk that plated Hill.

Following Craig’s first-inning home run, Manning bounced back to retire 13 consecutive batters, highlighted when Hill made a magnificent leaping catch that sent him crashing into the chain-link fence in left field to deny an extra-base hit. But that streak came to an end when Andrew Susac lifted a fly ball down the left-field line to give the Indians a 3-2 edge in the home half of the fifth.

The top of the Mud Hens’ order was able to manufacture a run to restore parity in the top of the seventh. Zack Short reached on a leadoff HBP, took second when Victor Reyes singled to center, and scampered to third when Paredes flied out to deep center. He then advanced the final 90 feet when Núñez grounded out to second. However, the Tribe reclaimed the lead for good as Craig launched his second home run of the game to open the bottom of the same inning.

What’s Next:
The Mud Hens and Indians return to Victory Field on Wednesday for the second game of their six-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m.

Hens Notes:

• Eric Haase has recorded a hit in three consecutive games, going .385 (5-for-13) with a double and two RBI in that span.

• Travis Swaggerty became the first batter to hit a leadoff homer against the Hens since Mike Ford did the same on May 11, 2019 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

• Toledo's leadoff hitter reached base in five innings. Every starter for the Mud Hens reached base at least once, and six reached two or more times.

• The Mud Hens have yet to score the game's first run this season.