Mud Hens Soar over Bats to Conclude Road Trip
July 14, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky - Tyler Alexander (4-9, 5.72 ERA) threw a season-high 7.1 innings in Sunday's 9-4 win over the Louisville Bats to even the four-game series.
Allowing three runs on six hits while striking out four, Alexander's performance at Louisville Slugger Field marked the most innings eaten in a Triple-A start for the 24-year-old since July 19, 2018.
Alexander, the 2015 Detroit Tigers second-round draft pick, got his second start with Toledo after making his MLB debut last week in a doubleheader in Chicago.
Seven of the nine starters in the Mud Hens' lineup would finish with at least two hits or more while tallying five extra-base hits.
Bats starter Vladimir Gutierrez (2-8, 7.15 ERA) lasted five innings and allowed five runs on eight hits. Toledo has notched 12 combined runs on Gutierrez through three separate meetings dating back to the series-opener.
The second hit for the Mud Hens led to the first run of the game in the second inning.
Pete Kozma's sacrifice to left field would bring Dustin Peterson home after the first baseman grabbed his 12th double of the season.
Seven active hitters for Toledo have hit the double-digit mark in doubles, including Mikie Mahtook (14), who homered in each of the last two games preceeding Sunday.
Peterson and Mahtook have combined for 23 home runs and 84 RBIs before the halfway point of July.
Toledo went up 3-0 in the fourth as Ronny Rodriguez belted a two-run shot over the left-center wall.
The native of Santiago, Dominican Republic, homered twice in this series for three in 19 Triple-A games this year.
Gutierrez had not allowed a home run in both of his prior starts against the Mud Hens but came into Sunday's game tied for third with three other pitchers for most surrendered in the International League.
Alexander was among that group alongside Gutierrez and would have his shutout effort in the fourth end on a solo blast by Brian O'Grady to right.
O'Grady, along with Aristides Aquino, have combined for 42 percent of Louisville's home run total (110). O'Grady is second in the IL behind only Adam Duvall of Gwinnett while Aquino is tied for fifth at 21.
Toledo grabbed two more runs in the fifth off a double into the gap in left by Jacob Robson and a sacrfice fly from Willi Castro.
Releiving Gutierrez was Eric Stout, who worked 2.1 scoreless innings before Kozma recorded his third home run of the year for the 7-1 lead.
The 2007 St. Louis Cardinals first-round draft pick went the previous 43 games without a homer. The last time Kozma finished with more than two in an entire season was back in 2014 with Triple-A Memphis.
Christian Colon, the first Louisville batter to face Zac Reininger in the eighth, gathered his 24th double on a line drive down the left field chalk to score Alex Blandino and Josh VanMeter.
Kozma's fourth RBI of the game iand 11th against the Bats this season came in the ninth with the bases loaded and one out.
Toledo improves to 6-4 on the road against Louisville and 10-7 overall.
What's Next:
Beau Burrows (0-3, 3.93 ERA) is probable to start Monday in the first of a four-game series against the Durham Bulls at Fifth Third Field.
Opening pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (EST).
Live coverage is available on Buckeye Cable Sports Network, MiLB.TV, BCSNNation.com and Fox Sports 1230 WCWA-AM.
#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. OF Daz Cameron : 0-for-5
6. RHP Beau Burrows: DNP
7. IF Willi Castro : 2-for-4, Run, RBI
10. RHP Kyle Funkhouser : DNP
12. C Jake Rogers : 2-for-4, Run
16. OF Jacob Robson: 3-for-3, Walk 2 Runs, RBI
18. RHP Bryan Garcia : DNP
19. OF Danny Woodrow : 2-for-5, Run
22. RHP John Schreiber : DNP
27. LHP Matt Hall : DNP
28. IF/OF Dustin Peterson: 2-for-5, Run
Hens Notes:
- Danny Woodrow wrapped up the four-game series with eight hits, including four on Thursday, which tied a season-high first done on May 25 against the Bats.
- Eduardo Jimenez is expected to rejoin the Mud Hens' roster Monday after being optioned from Detroit following Saturday's game. Sandy Baez was also activated from the injured list and later transferred to Single-A Lakeland.
- Monday will be the first start for Burrows since coming off his six-day suspension. The 22-year-old native of Fort Worth, Texas, was ejected in the fourth inning for hitting an Indianapolis batter on July 7.
- Kade Scivicque extended his hitting streak to six games after going 2-for-5 on Saturday. Scivicque has notched three doubles and an RBI during his run which is the longest active streak among Toledo players.
International League Stories from July 14, 2019
- Gwinnett Holds off Charlotte, 5-4 - Gwinnett Stripers
- Knights Drop Finale to Stripers 5-4 - Charlotte Knights
- Bulls Ride Early Runs to Victory - Durham Bulls
- Four Tribe Homers Overpower Columbus for Series Win - Indianapolis Indians
- Pigs dropped in Sunday finale - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Patterson's RBI Single in Eighth Lifts Bisons to 4-3 Win - Buffalo Bisons
- Mud Hens Soar over Bats to Conclude Road Trip - Toledo Mud Hens
- Wings Rally to Top 'Pigs Sunday - Rochester Red Wings
- O'Grady Homers in 9-4 Loss - Louisville Bats
- Mets Rally to Beat RailRiders, 5-3, on Sunday Afternoon for Series Victory - Syracuse Mets
- PawSox Comeback Falls Short, Lose 4-3 to Bisons - Pawtucket Red Sox
- Eighth Costs RailRiders Again - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Game Information: Indianapolis Indians (46-45) at Columbus Clippers (56-35) - Indianapolis Indians
- Game Notes: Toledo Mud Hens (41-51) at Louisville Bats (35-57) - Louisville Bats
- Bisons Game Notes - Buffalo at Pawtucket (1:05 p.m.) - Buffalo Bisons
- SWB Game Notes - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
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