It was a doubleheader day on the farm, and boy, did Detroit’s affiliates struggle. Thanks to rain, smoke, and even flying squirrels, multiple clubs played two, but the results were mostly brutal across the board, even with Gleyber Torres smashing a homer for Lakeland.
Toledo Mud Hens Can’t Buy a Clutch Hit
Toledo’s Mud Hens kicked off their doubleheader against the Gwinnett Stripers, and it was a tough 5-1 loss in the first game. Scoring only one run against a lineup stacked with rehab assignments like Ronald Acuña Jr., Ha-Seong Kim, and Carlos Santana is already a mountain. Ty Madden started and got through the order once, even getting Acuña and Kim a second time! But then Enmanuel De Jesus took over, gave up a single to Santana, and Brett Wisely took him deep to center field. Ouch.
The Mud Hens had their chances, though. They managed seven hits but left a whopping nine runners on base and went a brutal 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Max Clark showed some life, going 2-for-3 with his 19th double and a walk. Cal Stevenson also had two hits and scored a run. But when it mattered most, Max Anderson and Gage Workman couldn’t bring guys home, striking out when the bases were loaded in the fifth. Luke Taggart gave up another homer to Carlos Santana later, just adding to the pain. You gotta get those clutch hits, man, especially with guys like Stevenson and Clark getting on base!
Game Two: Even Worse for Toledo
Game two against Gwinnett was somehow even worse, a brutal 8-1 defeat for Toledo. This time, Acuña and Santana weren’t even playing, which makes the lopsided score sting even more. The Mud Hens mustered a measly three hits the entire game, with their only run coming in the seventh inning when Trei Cruz singled and scored on a Stevenson double.
Dylan File got the start for Toledo and lasted five innings, giving up runs in almost every inning. He didn’t allow any homers, but Gwinnett’s leadoff hitter reached base against him in four of five innings. The second inning was a mess: File hit the leadoff man, gave up a single, and then back-to-back doubles brought three runs across. He even loaded the bases in the fifth with no outs, though Toledo managed to turn a triple play, trading a run for it. It’s tough out there when the bats go completely cold and the pitching can’t seem to stop the bleeding. Ricky Vanasco then walked the leadoff man, too.
These back-to-back losses for Toledo really highlight the struggle to get anything going offensively. Leaving nine on base and hitting 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in game one, then only getting three hits in game two? That’s just not going to cut it. Despite Gleyber Torres showing a flash of power for Lakeland, the overall picture for these affiliates on doubleheader day was grim. They’ve got to find a way to consistently drive in runs and limit the damage on the mound if they want to turn this early season trend around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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