Terrific Tenth Takes Toledo Past Iowa in Extras
September 27, 2022 – International League (IL) – Toledo Mud Hens News Release
DES MOINES, IA.: The Toledo Mud Hens relied on offensive outbursts in the fifth and tenth innings along with clutch pitching down the stretch to defeat the Iowa Cubs in extra innings, 8-5, thus securing a series-opening victory at Principal Park on Monday evening.
Kody Clemens used some smart tactics on the bases to push across the first run of the game in the top of the first. He coaxed a walk from I-Cubs starter Matt Swarmer, stole second base, advanced to third on an Iowa throwing error, and touched up when Josh Lester got into a rundown later in the frame.
Matt Mervis had the quick answer for the Cubs in the home half of the first inning, smacking his 15th Triple-A homer and 36th overall of the season off Bryan Garcia to even the contest at 1-1.
The offenses really heated up in the fifth, with the Mud Hens striking for three runs in the top half. Zack Short walked and Brendon Davis singled to place two men on. With two down, Ali Sanchez drove in both runners as part of his 2-3 day at the plate on a double to guide Toledo in front. John Valente followed with a two-base knock of his own, plating Sanchez, to make it 4-1 Mud Hens.
Valente finished the game 1-4, moving his hitting streak to five straight contests in the process. He is 8-19 (.421) with a homer, three doubles, four RBIs, and four runs scored during this stretch.
The I-Cubs response was swift in the home half of the inning. Scott McKeon registered an RBI double to bring in the first tally. After Trent Giambrone was issued a free pass and Garcia committed a throwing error, Darius Hill bounced a base hit back up the middle to score a pair and even the contest at 4-4.
Garcia tossed six stanzas for the sixth consecutive outing, yielding five hits, four earned runs, three walks, and racking up three punch outs while not factoring in the decision.
Swarmer also received a no-decision for Iowa, firing 4 and 2/3’s frames, permitting five hits, four runs, three walks, and mixing in four strikeouts.
After Drew Carlton worked out of a jam in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras, the Mud Hens offense went to work against new Cubs hurler Danis Correa. Sanchez walked to start the inning. Valente then placed down an excellent sacrifice bunt, a subsequent throwing error from Correa enabled pinch runner Dylan Rosa to come home. Clemens singled in Sanchez for a 6-4 lead. He would then steal his second base of the game and another throwing miscue during the play brought in Valente. Lester then plated Clemens with an RBI double, driving in his 99th run of the season to provide Toledo with an 8-4 edge.
Correa (2-1) gave up two hits, four runs, two earned runs, and two walks to take the loss for Iowa.
Mervis got a run back for Iowa on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the tenth, but the Cubs would not get any closer.
Carlton (4-2) snagged the winning end of the decision for Toledo, throwing two innings of one-hit baseball and allowing an unearned run. Nolan Blackwood and Miguel Diaz nicely bridged the gap between Garcia and Carlton, combining to throw two scoreless frames.
Andre Lipcius finished the game 1-5 at the dish, successfully advancing his current on-base streak to 12 consecutive assignments.
Davis was 2-5, notching multi-hit efforts in back-to-back games for the Mud Hens.
NEXT UP: The Mud Hens final series of the 2022 season continues with a Tuesday afternoon contest at Principal Park against the I-Cubs. First pitch is at 1:08 p.m. EDT.
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