Hens Rally Late to Claim 4-2 Victory Over Red Sox at Polar Park
August 29, 2024 - International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release
The Mud Hens captured a thrilling 4-2 victory against the Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park tonight.
Under the Thursday night lights, the Mud Hens continued their series against the Red Sox, with the first pitch flying at 6:46 PM. The top of the third saw the Mud Hens breeze through a swift 1-2-3 inning, and they returned to the field with Lael Lockhart on the mound, who delivered two strikeouts and a groundout to keep the Red Sox at bay.
Eddys Leonard kicked off the second inning with a bang, smashing a home run on a line drive to left field, putting the first run on the board and giving the Hens an early lead. The Red Sox managed a single on a ground ball, but the Mud Hens' defense quickly secured three outs, leaving no further opportunities for the Sox.
In the third inning, Akil Baddoo doubled for the 16th time this season with a grounder to right field, but the Red Sox pitchers responded with two strikeouts to stifle the Mud Hens' momentum. The Hens then returned the favor with a scoreless 1-2-3 inning to keep the Red Sox off the board.
The bottom of the fourth was a defensive showcase, featuring a caught pop fly from Baddoo in center field, a strikeout by Lockhart, and a lineout caught by Ryan Vilade in right field. Vilade carried his defensive energy into the top of the fifth with a single on a soft ground ball, though he was picked off while attempting to steal second. The Mud Hens continued to stifle the Red Sox, with Baddoo catching another pop fly, Bligh Madris making a slick play at first, and Vilade finishing the inning with a snagged line drive that he tossed over the fence as a souvenir for the fans.
Justyn-Henry Malloy led off the sixth inning with a single to center field, but three strikeouts ended the Mud Hens' scoring opportunity. Ricky Vanasco took over for Lockhart and kept the Red Sox in check with two strikeouts and a line drive caught by Riley Unroe at second base.
The seventh inning began with a quick 1-2-3 for the Hens, but the Red Sox managed to scrape together two runs off a few singles, taking the lead. Refusing to back down, the Mud Hens roared back in the eighth. Drew Maggi and Malloy both walked, setting the stage for Andrew Navigato, who launched a game-changing home run on a line drive to left field, reclaiming the lead for the Hens. Navigato's homer marked his 19th of the season.
Devin Sweet closed out the eighth inning with three strikeouts, protecting the Mud Hens' two-run advantage. With the Hens' defense holding firm, they secured a hard-fought victory against the Red Sox.
The two teams will face off again tomorrow night at Polar Park for another round of baseball.
Notables:
Eddys Leonard (1-4, RBI)
Andrew Navigato (1-4, 3RBI, HR)
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