DES MOINES, Iowa – With a win in last night’s performance, the Toledo Mud Hens clinched a guaranteed series split with the Iowa Cubs. A victory today for the Mud Hens would clinch their second series win over the Iowa Cubs, this season. LHP Daniel Norris took the mound, looking
DES MOINES, Iowa – With a win in last night’s performance, the Toledo Mud Hens clinched a guaranteed series split with the Iowa Cubs. A victory today for the Mud Hens would clinch their second series win over the Iowa Cubs, this season. LHP Daniel Norris took the mound, looking to lead the Mud Hens to two games over .500.
It did not take the Mud Hens long to get the bats going, as they struck first with four runs to begin the ballgame. In the first inning, Zack Short would lead off with a single, followed by an infield hit by Ryan Kreidler. With one out, Spencer Torkelsonwould walk. With the bases loaded, Kerry Carpenter would drive in Short with a sacrifice fly to center field. Brendon Daviswould single to left, scoring Ryan Kreidler. Then, John Valente would his fourth double of the year to score Torkelsonand Davis, giving the Mud Hens a 4-0 lead to start the game.
The Mud Hens would have another four-run inning in the second, but this time all the runs driven in came off one swing of the bat. After a couple of singles by Jack Lopez and Zack Short (who singled in the first), and an intentional walk to Josh Lester, Kerry Carpenter would hit a grand slam to left. His opposite field homer gives him 30 on the year in the MiLB (8th in Toledo). The Mud Hens led 8-0 after the first two innings.
With the offense looking sharp, LHP Daniel Norris had an outstanding outing, going four strong innings. After giving up double in the first, he retired 10 straight batters, and struck out three I-Cubs. RHP Zac Houston would come in the fifth, tallying a strikeout in his inning of work. RHP Angel De Jesuswould relieve in the sixth striking out two.
In the top half of the eighth, the Mud Hens would score two more runs, with a two-run homer from Josh Lester. Lester now leads the team with 18 home runs on the year, with 67 RBIs. The two runs would end up being much needed, as the Cubs batted around in the bottom half of the eighth, scoring 6 runs. RHPNolan Blackwood would close the door on the Iowa Cubs, as the Mud Hens would hold on for the win, with a score of 10-6. The Mud Hens have improved, with a record now at 53-51.
With the conclusion of this series, the Mud Hens took this seven-game series, winning four out of the seven games. Kerry Carpenter would finish the series with nine RBIs (five in today’s game), along with Brendon Davis finishing with six, and Josh Lester with seven. Zack Short, Jack Lopez, Josh Lester, and Brendon Davis would each tally a multi-hit day, with all four players obtaining two hits in today’s game.
NOTABLE BATTERS:
Zack Short: 2-4, 2 R, BB, K
Kerry Carpenter: 1-2, HR (GS), 5 RBI, R, 2 BB
Brendon Davis: 2-5, RBI, R, K
Josh Lester: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 R, BB
Jack Lopez: 2-5, R, 2 K
John Valente: 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI, K
Notable Pitchers:
LHP Daniel Norris: 4.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 K
RHP Angel De Jesus: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
NEXT UP: The Mud Hens will begin another series with the Omaha Storm Chasers, as they head back to Fifth-Third Field (Toledo, OH). This will be the first time the Mud Hens meet the Storm Chasers in Toledo. Currently, the Omaha Storm Chasers lead the season series, winning seven out of the twelve games played this year. The first game is set for Tuesday, August 9th, at 7:05pm ET.