Hernandez Earns Eight Strikeouts in 5-4 Loss in Extras

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IL Toledo Mud Hens

Hernandez Earns Eight Strikeouts in 5-4 Loss in Extras

April 18, 2025 - International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Toledo Mud Hens lost 5-4 to the Indianapolis Indians in Friday night's 11 inning matchup. Toledo jumped out to an early lead thanks to two big swings of the bat and the efforts of Wilkel Hernandez who would end his day with eight strikeouts.

After going 3-4 in hits in Thursday night's game, Akil Baddoo opened Friday's game with a lead-off home run to give Toledo a first inning 1-0 lead.

Getting the nod in his first start of the series, Hernandez looked untouchable in his early innings. He went one, two, three in the first inning as his sinker and slider left batters baffled.

The Hens offense was quick to get back to work in the second inning. After Andrew Navigato drew a five-pitch walk, David Hensley hit a 380 ft line drive which cleared the left-field wall to expand the Toledo lead to 3-0.

Having only allowed one hit in the form of a Tsung-Che Cheng bunt, Hernandez would allow his second hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Yorke led off with a two-bagger down the right-field line before Hernandez surrendered his first walk of the game to Darick Hall. A Matt Gorski sac-fly would bring Cheng home, cutting the Mud Hens' lead to 3-1.

Come the sixth inning, the Indians started showing some serious fight as Chase Lee took the mound for the Mud Hens. Lee's campaign began with a walk dealt to Ji Hwan Bae. A groundout and a sac-fly would bring him in to bring Indianapolis within one.

Another walk, this time drawn by Hall, put the tying run on the base path. Gorski put runners on the corners with a base hit, before former Mud Hen Nick Solak did the same while tying the game at 3-3. Indianapolis would earn a third straight base hit and the 4-3 lead as DJ Stewart picked up his first hit of the day.

Things remained at a standstill going into the ninth inning. Isaac Mattson made quick work of the first two Toledo batters, before Baddoo hit a single to bring Riley Unroe to the plate. Unroe, however, would also be bested by Mattson, giving the Indians a chance to walk it off.

Ryan Miller was able to hold off the Indians and prevent the Indians' first attempt at a walk off, taking the game to extras. Toledo batters would be sat down in order by Ryder Ryan bringing PJ Poulin up to the rubber.

With both teams failing to find a run in the tenth inning, even more baseball needed to be played to decide the game. Ryder once again sat down the Hens, going one, two, three to give his team another chance to call game.

The Indians did just that as Brendan White took the mound for just one pitch. Gorski would take his slider deep into right field for a game-winning double.

The Mud Hens and the Indians will face off yet again Saturday at 6:35 p.m.

Notables:

Wilkel Hernandez (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 0 HR)

Akil Baddoo (3-4, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB)

David Hensley (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB)

Check out the Toledo Mud Hens Statistics

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International League Stories from April 18, 2025


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