Navigato stars in series-clinching win over RailRiders

Mud Hens take series after winning last three games

By Brady Boehm

June 2, 2024

The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 7-2 on Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Field. Andrew Navigato featured at the plate for Hens, racking up eight total bases with the go-ahead two-run home run, falling just a double short of the cycle. Matt Manning took the hill for the

The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 7-2 on Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Field.

Andrew Navigato featured at the plate for Hens, racking up eight total bases with the go-ahead two-run home run, falling just a double short of the cycle.

Matt Manning took the hill for the Mud Hens while Edgar Barclay toed the rubber for the RailRiders. Barclay pitched against the Hens in the series opener, while Manning made his first outing in two weeks.

A leadoff triple by Brandon Lockridge allowed the RailRiders to take an early lead on a sacrifice fly by Jorbit Vivas.

Navigato’s one-out triple in the third inning allowed the Hens to even the score at 1-1 when Ryan Vilade dropped an RBI single into right field.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre came right back in the top of the fourth inning to reclaim the lead on an RBI single by Oscar Gonzalez.

A leadoff double by Keston Hiura led to a big inning from the Mud Hens. Hiura came home on a game-tying RBI single by Justice Bigbie. Bigbie then swiped second and came home to score after Navigato clobbered a go-ahead two-run home run over Monroe Street.

Manning finished out the fifth inning to put himself in line for his second win. Manning pitched 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The end of the fifth inning also marked the end for Barclay, taking the loss after pitching 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits (one home run) with two walks and five strikeouts.

Sean Guenther added his team-leading seventh hold for the Mud Hens in the top of the sixth inning, allowing just a single to Taylor Trammell before striking out Josh VanMeter to end the inning.

The Mud Hens tacked on a trio of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. After two singles and a walk loaded the bases, Vilade brought home Buddy Kennedy with a sacrifice fly. Jace Jung followed by plugging the gap for a two-run double to move the score to 7-2 Mud Hens.

The rest of the Mud Hens bullpen made sure to slam the door shut on the RailRiders. The trio of Alex Lange, Bryce Tassin and Andrew Magno handled the final three innings for the Hens, combining to allow just one hit while striking out four batters to shut it down and take a 7-2 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Manning moves to 2-0 on this season – his first win since Opening Day – while Barclay drops to 3-4.

The Mud Hens swept the weekend set of games to take a 4-2 series victory and head to Iowa winners of their last three.

NOTABLES:

INF Andrew Navigato (3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3B, 3 R)
INF Jace Jung (1-4, 2 RBI, 2B)
OF Ryan Vilade (1-2, 2 RBI)
OF Parker Meadows (2-3, 2B, R, 2 BB)
C Dillon Dingler (2-5)
RHP Matt Manning (W, 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)

What’s Next:

The Toledo Mud Hens will now head West to Des Moines, IA for a six-game series against the Iowa Cubs at Principal Park. The series gets underway on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, with first pitch coming at 7:38 p.m. ET.