IL1 Toledo Mud Hens

Toledo Native Makes Debut in Hens Loss

Published on April 26, 2019 under International League (IL1)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The Toledo Mud Hens were defeated by the Gwinnett Stripers 8-4 on Friday evening at Coolray Field.

Toledo (7-13) recorded 14 hits as six Hens players recorded two hits in the loss to Gwinnett (12-9). Josh Lester led the way going 2-for-5 at the dish with a three-run home run.

LHP Trent Szkuntnik, a Toledo native and Bedford High School alum, made his Triple-A debut throwing one and one-third innings allowing one earned run on a hit and a walk while striking out one batter. Szkutnik is in his sixth season of professional baseball after being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2014.

After Daz Cameron ground out to third, Danny Woodrow and Willi Castro hit back-to-back bloop singles to left field, giving Toledo runners on first and second. Lester then took a 1-2 pitch deep to left-center field and over the wall as he touched all the bases giving the Mud Hens a 3-0 lead. Dawel Lugo then singled through the right side of the infield to beat the shift but was left stranded.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Stripers fought back as Andres Blanco and Adam Duvall each hit solo home runs as Gwinnett cut its deficit to one. Raffy Lopez kept the Stripers alive with a two-out double and Travis Demeritte followed with a home run over the center field wall giving Gwinnett a 4-3 lead.

Austin Riley and Duvall hit consecutive home runs to begin the bottom of the third inning as the Stripers took a 6-3 lead.

The fourth inning began with Jack Lopez reaching on an error by Toledo second baseman Harold Castro. Lopez then moved to third on a single by Rafael Ortega, but Ortega was caught stretching at second base. Andres Blanco then drew a walk before Riley singled to center scoring Lopez and increasing the Gwinnett lead to 7-3.

W. Castro led off the Toledo fifth inning with a stand-up double and moved to third on a groundout by Lester. Lugo then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in W. Castro cutting the deficit to three. H. Castro and Victor Reyes followed with consecutive singles to right field but were left stranded on the corners.

RHP John Schreiber took the place of LHP Tyler Alexander to start the fifth inning. Alexander allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits including five home runs. The southpaw also fanned three while walking one in four innings of work.

Schreiber made quick work of Gwinnett in one and two-thirds innings or work not allowing a run on one hit while punching out two. RHP Zac Houston came on with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and struck out Blanco to end the inning as the Stripers went down in order on strikeouts.

Houston delivered a strong inning of work before handing the ball to Toledo native LHP Trent Szkutnik to make his Triple-A debut. Houston retired all three batters he faced, two on K's.

In the eighth inning, Gwinnett added a run as Demeritte earned a walk and moved to third on a Kazmar single before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Sal Giardina as the Stripers held an 8-4 lead.

Woodrow recorded a one out single in the ninth in hopes of mounting a comeback. Lester then hit a single to right with two-outs, but the Mud Hens fell by a final score of 8-4.

What's Next:

The Toledo Mud Hens will be back in action tomorrow night against the Gwinnett Stripers with first pitch at Coolray Field scheduled for 6:05 PM.

#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):

5. RHP Beau Burrows: DNP

8. OF Daz Cameron: 0-for-5

9. RHP Kyle Funkhouser: DNP

10. IF Willi Castro: 2-for-5, 2 runs scored

15. IF Dawel Lugo: 2-for-4, RBI

18. OF Jacob Robson: 2-for-4

22. RHP Bryan Garcia: DNP (IL)

23. LHP Matt Hall: DNP

24. LHP Tyler Alexander: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

26. RHP Sandy Baez: DNP

Hens Notes:

- Toledo hit safely in each of the first six innings, including four consecutive hits in the first inning.

- The Mud Hens went 4-2 against Gwinnett in the 2018 season as it begins the 2019 season 0-1.

- Josh Lester knocked his first home run of the year out of the park in the first inning.

Check out the Toledo Mud Hens Statistics

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International League Stories from April 26, 2019


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