Akil Baddoo Homer Puts Hens over the Edge for 3-2 Win
August 21, 2024 - International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release
The Toledo Mud Hens and the Iowa Cubs faced off Wednesday night after a nail-bitter Tuesday night. The Cubs were able to get on the board early, but the Hens did not back down as they slowly chipped away at the Iowa lead. Strong pitching in the end would keep the Mud Hens on top and secure the win.
As the Mud Hens looked to avenge their extra innings loss from the night prior, they would put their trust in the hands of Troy Watson. Since joining Toledo following the MLB trade deadline, Watson has been converted into a pseudo-starter for the Hens as they find themselves short handed on starting pitchers. Watson saw some trouble early, including a line-drive double off the bat of Kevin Alcantara, but was able to persevere thanks to some help from his teammates, who completed a six, four, three double play.
The second inning though, Watson would not be so fortunate. After walking Matt Mervis, he gave up a double to James Triantos to put two Cubs in scoring position. A Darius Hill groundout would be enough to bring in Mervis and give Iowa the 1-0 lead. Watson then walked Miles Mastrobuoni, before an RBI single by Matt Shaw made it 2-0. Watson was able to limit the damage from there, escaping the inning with a strikeout on Moises Ballesteros.
The Hens would waste no time in coming up with their response. Eddys Leonard led off in the bottom of the second with a base hit. He would make it to third thanks to a Justice Bigbie single, before a wild pitch made it 2-1. Toledo was unable to capitalize from there though, putting the game back into the hands of the defense.
Watson was able to finish the third inning, and his day, with four strikeouts, before PJ Poulin took over in the fourth. After forcing a quick one, two, three inning, The Mud Hens were back on offense and looked to take the momentum of the game.
Leonard led off yet again, earning his fifth hit in two games on a double down the left-field line. A Bigbie groundout moved him to third once again, but this time Andrew Navigato was able to bring him in with an RBI double. The hit would be Navigato's one-hundredth on the season, his twenty-third double, and his sixty-seventh RBI.
Poulin continued to deal, holding the Cubs scoreless until being replaced with Ricky Vanasco in the sixth. Vanasco took the torch and ran with it, keeping things tied 2-2 in his two innings of action.
Come the seventh inning, Akil Baddoo would be the one to break up the tie. He hit a lead off homer 457 ft into right-center field to make it 3-2 in favor of the Hens. It would be his eighth home run with Toledo and his furthest hit all season, including his time with Detroit.
Miguel Diaz would be tasked with holding onto the Hens' newly-found lead. He went one, two, three, finishing the inning with an electrifying strikeout on Mervis. Iowa would be given one more chance as Diaz returned to the mound in the ninth. He would give up a base hit to Mastrobuoni, but got Toledo the 3-2 victory.
The Mud Hens and the Cubs will face off yet again Thursday night at 6:35 p.m. Both teams will look to take a lead in the now tied series.
Notables:
Akil Baddoo (1-4, HR, RBI, R)
Eddys Leonard (3-4, 2 2B, 2 R)
Miguel Diaz (SV, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0 HR)
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