Buffalo's LeBlanc Blanks Toledo
May 28, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release
On a splendid Saturday night at Fifth Third Field, fireworks were strictly a postgame occurrence, as the Bisons defeated the Mud Hens, 3-0, in a game featuring a pitcher's duel courtesy of Wade LeBlanc and Thad Weber.
The first inning featured a combined 20 pitches as Toledo's Thad Weber, who came in with a 1.86 ERA and Buffalo's Wade LeBlanc, who came in with a 1.44 ERA, which were good for fifth and third respectively in the International League, made quick work of the opposing team's top third of their lineup.
However, the Bisons figured Weber out and strung three consecutive hits together in the top of the second, as Jesus Montero and Darrell Ceciliani both singled and came around to score making it 2-0 Buffalo after Matt Dominguez doubled off the wall in left field.
Buffalo tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning as A.J. Jimenez came around to score on an RBI double to short left field off the bat of Andy Burns, making it 3-0.
Weber, who worked in and out of trouble throughout the night, suffered his third loss of the season while going seven innings, striking out three, walking three, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs. After a Ceciliani leadoff triple in the sixth inning, the righty was zoned in and escaped the jam unscathed by inducing a Dominguez groundout to third, an intentional walk to Casey Kotchman, a Junior Lake swinging strikeout, and an A.J. Jimenez groundout to short.
LeBlanc, who came in tossing 26.2 consecutive scoreless innings, went 6.1 innings to earn his fifth win of the season while striking out five, scattering four hits, no runs, and not allowing a Mud Hens runner to second until the seventh inning. Bo Schultz came on for the Bisons in the seventh to induce a John Hicks inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to help extend LeBlanc's scoreless streak to 33 consecutive innings.
Ryan Tepera pitched the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings for the six-out save, his fifth of the season.
Drake Britton pitched a scoreless eighth inning out of the Mud Hens bullpen, and Logan Kensing came on to allow one run in the ninth inning.
The Mud Hens are home tomorrow evening for the series finale against the Bisons, as they look to win their second consecutive series, with the first pitch slated for 6:05 p.m.
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