IL Toledo Mud Hens

Eddys Leonard Gives the Hens a Walk off Win in Extras

Published on September 2, 2023 under International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


The Toledo Mud Hens walked off the Iowa Cubs in the 10th inning for a 7-6 victory on Saturday night. It was the Hens fourth walk off win and third extra inning win of the year.

Jack O'Loughlin started the game for the Hens and looked great. In 5.0 innings he allowed just one run on three hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. He was in line to earn the win before Iowa took the lead off reliever Garrett Hill, who gave up five runs in his 2.0 innings of work.

The Mud Hens got on the board early in this one. Nick Maton hit a two-RBI double to put the Hens up 2-0 in the bottom of the second inning. They would extend their lead to 5-1 in the third inning. Nick Solak scored Dillon Dingler with a sac fly, and Eddys Leonard singled in Justyn-Henry Malloy and Nick Maton later in the inning.

Justyn-Henry Malloy came through with a huge solo home run in the eighth inning to tie the game up 6-6 after Iowa took the lead in the previous frame. It was his 22nd homer of the year and traveled an estimated 441 feet to deep center field.

After Garrett Hill, the Mud Hens bullpen was lights out. Trey Wingenter, Aneurys Zabala, and Sean Guenther combined for 3.0 innings, two hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts through the final three innings of this game.

The stage was set for a dramatic finish in the ninth inning. With two outs and the game tied 6-6, Dillon Dingler stepped up to bat just a home run shy of the cycle. There have been several near-cycles for the Hens this year, but a home run here would have walked off the game for the Hens. Dillon unfortunately struck out, but ended up scoring the game winning run as the ghost runner on second base in the bottom of the tenth.

After a scoreless frame by Sean Guenther in the tenth, the Mud Hens loaded the bases with two outs. Justyn-Henry Malloy was intentionally walked, and Colt Keith reached on an infield single, with Dillon Dingler serving as the designated ghost runner at third base. Eddys Leonard delivered a clutch two out RBI single earlier in the game, and came through once again to score Dingler from third and walk off the I-Cubs in the tenth.

Five of the seven Mud Hens RBI were scored with two outs. They stranded 14 runners on base but still scored enough to come away with the W. With this win they take a 3-2 series lead this week and will look to secure their fifth straight series W with a win tomorrow night against Iowa. First pitch is set for 6:05 P.M. right here at Fifth Third Field.

Notables:

Jack O'Loughlin: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Dillon Dingler: 3-5, 3B, 2B, 2 R

Justyn-Henry Malloy: 2-5, HR, RBI, 2B, 2 R, BB

Eddys Leonard: 2-4, 3 RBI, 2 BB

Nick Maton: 2-6, 2 RBI, 2B, R

Colt Keith: 2-5, 2B, BB

Check out the Toledo Mud Hens Statistics

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International League Stories from September 2, 2023


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