PAPILLION, NE.: The Toledo Mud Hens took Omaha pitchers deep in four separate innings, but the resilient Storm Chasers responded with runs in key situations and pulled away for a 7-4 win in the set finale on Sunday afternoon at Werner Park.
Kody Clemens wasted no time in extending his
PAPILLION, NE.: The Toledo Mud Hens took Omaha pitchers deep in four separate innings, but the resilient Storm Chasers responded with runs in key situations and pulled away for a 7-4 win in the set finale on Sunday afternoon at Werner Park.
Kody Clemens wasted no time in extending his hitting streak to 12 straight games, launching a 456-foot bomb in the first off Omaha starter Brady Singer to push the Hens in front 1-0. He also went deep in the top of the eighth for his second solo shot. He ended up 2-4 on the day and 7-25 in the set (.280 AVG) with four home runs and 6 RBIs in Nebraska. He has now hit safely in 20 of his 22 Mud Hens assignments.
Omaha was resilient all afternoon, responding with back-to-back home runs off Chase Anderson in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 advantage. Nick Pratto and Vinnie Pasquantino slammed their fifth and fourth homers of the year, respectively.
Singer went 2 and 2/3’s innings in his start, yielding a hit, a run, a walk, and piling up three strikeouts while not factoring in the decision.
It was Ryan Lavarnway’s time to shine in the top of the fifth, belting an opposite field blast, his second of the year, against Daniel Mengden to even the game at 2. Lavarnway finished the game 3-3 and is now 10-13 at the plate over his last four contests, a streak that began last Sunday versus St. Paul.
The Storm Chasers again responded by regaining the lead 4-2 in the bottom of the inning. Jimmy Govern doubled ahead of Dairon Blanco, who brought them both home with his third dinger of the season.
Anderson (1-2) suffered his second loss of the season, permitting five hits, three long balls, a walk, and four earned runs with four punchouts mixed in over 4 and 2/3’s frames.
Daz Cameron advanced his four-game hit streak with a loud home run to right in the sixth off Mengden. He has recorded at least a knock in 10 of his 13 Triple-A games this season.
Mengden (1-2) gave up two hits and two runs, but also fanned three Hens hitters over five outs to get the victory. Josh Dye and Jose Cuas earned holds by keeping Toledo off the board over the next 2 and 1/3’s stanzas. Long-time MLB closer Arodys Vizcaíno slammed the door in the ninth for his third save.
Leading 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, the Storm Chasers scratched across another run on a sacrifice fly double play hit by Freddy Fermin, scoring Brewer Hicklen for a 5-3 advantage.
Hicklen also notched a key two-run double in the bottom of the seventh against Nolan Blackwood to balloon the Omaha lead to 7-3. He finished the day 2-4 at the plate.
Mud Hens reliever Derek Law worked around a hit in a scoreless eighth inning.
NEXT UP: Toledo returns home from Nebraska with a series victory in hand and will begin the third home stand of the season on Tuesday evening at Fifth Third Field. The Hens will face the Worcester Red Sox for the first time since the franchise moved from Pawtucket. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.