Mud Hens Denied Critical Home Run in Loss to Bats
May 1, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release
Toledo, OH - The Toledo Mud Hens (9-16) were denied two runs in the seventh inning Wednesday in what would have gave them the go-ahead lead.
With the game tied 3-3, the decision was made to not overturn Mikie Mahtook's ground rule double to left field, despite the ball landing over the Mike Hessman Home Run Alley sign at Fifth Third Field on School Education Day.
Unable to recover from a solo home run allowed in the eighth inning, the Mud Hens fell in the final of a three-game series against the Louisville Bats (11-16), 4-3.
Stuart Turner would score the opening run in the second for Louisville.
Driving in Brian O'Grady from third base, Turner dropped a blooper over the head of Pete Kozma into center field, his first RBI of the season.
Toledo's Spenser Watkins struck out two to end the top half to begin his first appearance on the mound since April 25 at Charlotte.
Watkins, the 2014 Detroit Tigers 30th-round draft pick, spent three days in Double-A Erie before getting another opportunity back up Monday.
In their next at-bat, the Mud Hens had two chances to score but couldn't break even.
Jacob Robson led off the inning with a single but would be called out at home. Dawel Lugo also singled but was left stranded when Daz Cameron struck out.
Cameron entered play riding a five-game hitless streak.
Louisville extended its lead in the third on a Christian Colon grounder down the left field line that traveled past a diving Lugo.
Colon garnered his 16th run of the season that same inning just as Brian O'Grady's single to center field made it a three-run difference.
Mahtook, who's batting over .400 since the move down from Detroit, notched his third double and 13th RBI in Triple-A to cut the deficit.
Mahtook has finished with at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games and has tallied eight RBIs in the last four games. The 29-year-old would be sent home before the end of the third on a sacrifice fly to left field by Jacob Robson.
Robson became the fifth Toledo batter this season to surpass the double-digit mark in RBIs (10) after picking up his first in seven days.
Bats starter Lucas Sims lasted four innings and gave up four hits, two runs and two earned runs while striking out seven in the no decision.
Tied at three following Dustin Peterson's RBI single in the fifth, Watkins threw 97 pitches before the Mud Hens replaced him for John Schreiber (L, 0-1) prior to the seventh inning.
Watkins fanned five while allowing six hits and three earned runs in the no decision. Schreiber, the native of Wyandotte, Michigan, struck out the first three batters faced before O'Grady broke the tie with one out in the eighth.
O'Grady sent a liner to the right field upper deck to collect his fifth home run of the season and first run scored by the Bats in five innings.
Schreiber left by the ninth after striking out five as well and coughing up the lone earned run and eventual game-winner.
What's Next:
Beau Burrows (0-2, 5.32 ERA) is probable to start Thursday in the first of a three-game series against the Columbus Clippers at home.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. (EST).
Live coverage is available on MiLB.TV, Buckeye Cable Sports Network and Fox Sports 1230 WCWA-AM. "Round the Bases" with Jim Weber and Matt Melzak begins at 6:00 p.m. (EST).
#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. RHP Beau Burrows : DNP
8. OF Daz Cameron : 0-for-4
9. RHP Kyle Funkhouser : DNP
10. IF Willi Castro : 1-for-3, 2 Runs, 2 Walks
15. IF Dawel Lugo : 2-for-4
18. OF Jacob Robson : 1-for-3, 1 RBI
22. RHP Bryan Garcia : DNP (IL)
23. LHP Matt Hall : DNP
24. LHP Tyler Alexander : DNP
26. RHP Sandy Baez : DNP
Hens Notes:
- The Mud Hens endured their first losing record in the month of April in three years.
- Josh Lester, the 2015 Tigers 15th-round draft pick, is back with Toledo after being assigned to Double-A Erie on Monday. In the nine games he appeared in Triple-A this season, Lester batted a .300/.348/.575 slash line with two home runs and 12 RBIs.
- Prior to Tuesday's game, Victor Reyes and Harold Castro were both promoted to Detroit in time to join the team in Philadelphia.
- Castro is riding a 12-game hit streak, which dates back to April 15, and is one game away from tying the team-high that's currently held by Willi Castro.
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