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IL Toledo Mud Hens

Hens Drop Opening Game in Indianapolis

September 5, 2023 - International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


Toledo OH, - The Toledo Mud Hens took a trip to Indianapolis Indiana to take on the Indianapolis Indians in game one of the road series and fell to the Indians 8-6.

Sean Guenther made the start on the mound for Anthony Iapoce and the Mud Hens. The Mud Hens entered this series winning five straight series in a row. With a runner on first, Jared Triolo roped a double off the wall in right field to put runners on second and third with one out. Canaan Smith-Njigba looped a single in center field to score the game's first runs and give the Indians a 2-0 lead.

In the second inning, the Mud Hens responded quickly. Michael Papierski led off the inning with a double to put himself in scoring position. Later in the inning with one out, Dillion Dingler hit a two-run home run to tie the game up at two apiece.

Brenan Hanifee entered the game in the bottom of the third inning from the bullpen for the Hens. Hanifee pitched a scoreless frame to begin his day.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Mud Hens were able to load the bases with one out for Nick Maton. Maton then hit a sacrifice fly out to center field to score Donny Sands to give the Hens a 3-2 lead.

The Mud Hens kept a consistent pace of offense through the first half of the game. While Hanifee was dealing scoreless inning on the mound the Mud Hens continued to score runs. In the top of the fifth inning, Colt Keith singled then advanced to second on a wild pitch with no outs. Michael Papierski then singled to score Keith and give the Hens a 4-2 lead.

The Indian's offense responded in the bottom of the fifth inning. It started with a two-out single from Nick Gonzales to be the first base runner of the inning. Jared Triolo followed with a walk then Caanan Smith-Njigba singled to score Gonzales and cut the Hens lead down to one. Domingo Leyba then singled to center to cap off a two-run inning to tie the game at four.

In the top of the seventh inning, Eddys Leonard led off the inning with a walk. Leonard then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error. Ryan Keidler hit a sacrifice fly to give the Hens the 5-4 lead in the top of the inning.

Still not giving up the Indians battled back. Sawyer Gipson-Long entered the game from the bullpen for the Hens. With one out in the inning, Nick Gonzales tripled to put the tying run 90 feet away. the next batter Jared Triolo walked to put runners on the corners. Canaan Smith-Njigba singled to tie the game at five.

The game slipped away from the Hens in the bottom of the eighth inning. Mason Martin hit a one-out solo home run to give the Indians their first lead of the day at 6-5. Grant Koch followed Martin's homer with a home run of his own hitting back-to-back homers to make it 7-5. Later in the inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, Canaan Smith-Njigba struck again with a single to score another run and take an 8-5 lead to the ninth.

In the top of the ninth inning, Eddys Leonard hit a lead-off home run to make it 8-6. The Mud Henstried their best to scratch and claw back loading up the bases in the ninth with two outs. Unfortunately, the Mud Hens would fall just short and strand the bases loaded as the Indians took game one of the series.

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