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Toledo Mud Hens

Pitcher Shortage Leads to Hens' 16-10 Loss to Indians

May 18, 2024 - International League (IL)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


Following their 8-3 victory over the Indians, the Mud Hens were able to keep the game close until a shortage of pitchers led to a 16-10 loss. Some unexpected faces took the mound for the Hens in the loss as Toledo and Indianapolis have a double header scheduled for Sunday.

Justyn-Henry Malloy was the first Hen to get on base with his thirteenth double of the season. Isaac Mattson then walked Jace Jung to put Toledo in scoring position with just one out. The Hens were unable to bring the base runners home though, bringing Ty Madden to the mound.

The prospect hype has followed Madden from Erie to Toledo. He has shown flashes, including a seven strikeout showing in his last start. This hype meant absolutely nothing to Ji Hwan Bae though, who took him deep as the lead off hitter to take the early 1-0 lead.

Ryan Vilade would pick up a lead-off single to open the second inning. He had to really turn on the wheels to outrun the play as the ball never left the infield. Toledo was unable to bring him in from second base, but the Hens hitters began to wear on Mattson. Mattson finished his second inning having thrown over fifty pitches as Indianapolis began to fill their bullpen.

Toledo ran into some trouble in the bottom of the second. Madden forced a pop out from Liover Peguero before walking Matt Gorski. Vilade and Andrew Navigato picked up a force out from Canaan Smith-Njigba to keep just one runner on first. From there Grant Koch hit a ground ball down the left field line that Jung couldn't get to in time to make a clean throw to first. Andres Alvarez then hit a single of his own that Keston Hiura was unable to field cleanly, loading the bases. That brought Bae back up to bat, he followed up his home run with a two-RBI single. This led Tim Federowicz to pull Madden and bring in Andrew Vasquez. The lefty loaded the bases by hitting Henry Davis with a slider that he lost control of. A walk drawn by Jake Lamb would give the Indians a 4-0 lead.

With their newfound lead, Indianapolis decided to stick with Mattson on the mound. He would continue to struggle, walking Parker Meadows and Malloy before allowing an RBI single off the bat of Jung. With no outs and runners on first and second, the Indians shut down Mattson and brought out Chris Gau. Gau was able to force three straight outs to keep his team on top 4-1.

In Vasquez's return to the mound he would go one, two, three in just twelve pitches.

Justice Bigbie would be the lead off hitter for the Hens in the fourth inning, hitting a double down the left field line. He was then brought in with an RBI single from Anthony Bemboom, cutting the Indians' lead to 4-2. Meadows then chipped into the lead even more with an RBI triple that hung in the air above right field, before dropping out of Lamb's reach.

Vasquez did not see the same success he saw in the previous inning. He forced a flyout, but then knicked Alvarez with a slider, gave up a single to Bae, and then walked Davis. Lamb brought in Alvarez with a fielder's choice that took out Davis at second. That prompted Federowicz to turn to his bullpen once again, this time bringing out Trey Wingenter. Wingenter would escape by forcing a pop out by Malcom Nunez.

Hiura almost took Gau deep on his lead off at bat, but the ball fell short off the wall and allowed Hiura to get to second. He then moved to third on a groundout by Akil Baddoo. Toledo once again found themselves down by just one run thanks to a sac fly from Vilade.

Wingenter was hot and cold in the fifth inning. He struck out Peguero before giving up a double to Gorski. He then struck out Smith-Njigba before giving up an RBI single to Koch. Alvarez then found a single of his own before Wingenter picked up a third strikeout, this time against Bae.

Gau continued to work his way through the Mud Hens lineup, striking out Navigato and Malloy while walking Meadows before a Jung groundout closed the frame. During this inning, Riley Unroe was oddly spotted throwing in the Toledo bullpen.

Unroe would indeed take the mound in the sixth inning for his first ever pitching appearance. He got off to a rough start, giving up a lead-off homer to Davis to make it a 7-4 game. Unroe forced a flyout from Lamb, but a Nunez single and a Peguero walk would put Indianapolis in scoring position. Gorski took advantage of this with a two-RBI triple. Gorski was then able to score thanks to an RBI single from Smith-Njigba. Unroe and the Hens were able to find two more outs, but left the sixth down 10-4.

Hiura was quick to try and keep Toledo in the game with a solo home run to make it a 10-5 game. Ben Heller pulled it together on the mound though, picking up three straight strikeouts to end the top of the seventh.

Unroe would return to the mound for the Hens in the bottom of the seventh. Bae got on base on a fielding error by Vilade, but Davis then hit into a double play to clear the bases. Lamb then hit a flyout for a four-pitch inning.

The Mud Hens found themselves with an amazing opportunity to get back into the game in the top of the eighth. Bemboom was hit by a pitch and then Meadows hit a double. Malloy followed that up by drawing a walk to load the bases and bring Jung up to bat with one out. Jung hit an RBI single to make it 10-6, but Malloy was forced out at second and Hiura struckout leaving the Hens stranded.

Unroe would continue to play from the mound in the bottom of the eighth. He continues to just toss the ball at the batters in hopes that the Mud Hens could make some plays off of hits. Unroe gave up two singles which set up Gorski for a three-run homer. That home run left Gorski a base hit shy of the cycle. Unroe then walked Smith-Njigba before Koch hit into a double play to once again clear the bases. Unroe's night came to a close with a Davis three-run homer following an Alvarez single and a Bae double. Unroe left the field, tipping his cap to the crowd as Bligh Madris would be tasked with finding the final out of the inning which came from a lineout by Lamb.

Now trailing 16-6, the Mud Hens had a lot of work ahead of them. They got to work with Vilade on first, Bigbie hit another double to put runners on second and third. A Bemboom walk loaded the bases and brought Navigato to the plate. He was mere inches shy of a grand slam, but would settle for a three-run double to make it 16-9. Meadows then brought him in with an RBI single and it began to seem as though Toledo was still kicking around. That would be the end though as a Malloy strikeout and a Jung ground out ended the game in a 16-10 loss.

Notables:

Parker Meadows (3-4, 3B, 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI, R, SB)

Keston Hiura (2-5, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R)

Bligh Madris (0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR)

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