Mud Hens Keep Playoff Hopes Alive with 8-4 Win over Cubs
IL Toledo Mud Hens

Mud Hens Keep Playoff Hopes Alive with 8-4 Win over Cubs

Published on September 16, 2025 under International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


DES MOINES, IA - The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Iowa Cubs 8-4 Tuesday night, despite briefly trailing. The Mud Hens got ahead early, but allowed the Cubs to put up four runs in the sixth. Toledo would have to find their swing once again to retake the lead late in the game.

Iowa's Jordan Wicks would make his final start of the season, despite recently being utilized as a closer. He found himself in a jam early as Hao-Yu Lee and Akil Baddoo opened the game with back-to-back singles, before a Jace Jung walk loaded the bases. Max Anderson would clean things up with a double into a gap in left-center field to make it 3-0 in the first.

Making his first start against the Cubs in a Hens uniform, Randy Dobnak allowed a lead-off hit in his first three innings, but turned Iowa away in the first two innings. The I-Cubs picked up a run on an RBI single off the bat of Miguel Amaya, following a double play.

Trailing 3-1, the Cubs would come storming back in the fourth inning. With runners on first and second, Chase Strumpf cut the Toledo lead to one with an RBI double. Rafeal Morel then gave Iowa the 4-3 lead when his single to left field brought in two runs. With Dobnak struggling with his command, the Hens opted to move to Matt Seelinger to close the inning out.

In need of a spark following four scoreless innings, Toledo retook the lead in the sixth inning. Jace Jung got things started with a one-out double, before Max Anderson drew a walk off of Antonio Santos. Gage Workman then answered the call with his fifteenth home run of the season, giving the Mud Hens a 6-3 lead. Toledo was able to reload the bases, as Santos walked three-straight batters. Tyson Miller would take over on the mound to close the inning, but not before allowing a Baddoo bases-loaded walk to make it 7-4.

Anderson would add to that lead in the seventh as his 413 ft home run made it 8-4. His fourth RBI of the game came on a 77 mph sweeper that hung over the plate and was sent over the center-field wall at 105 mph.

With an 8-4 lead, Toledo relied on Chase Lee, Drew Sommers, and Wilkel Hernandez to close out the game. The three pitchers combined for just one strikeout, but did not allow any runs on just three total hits across three innings.

The Toledo Mud Hens and the Iowa Cubs will face off again Wednesday at 1:08 p.m. Toledo remains in the playoff hunt, just five games behind Scranton-Wilkes Barre.

Notables:

Max Anderson (2-4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB, 2 K)

Gage Workman (1-5, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2 K)

Trei Cruz (2-2, 2 2B, 2 BB)

Check out the Toledo Mud Hens Statistics

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International League Stories from September 16, 2025


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