The Toledo Mud Hens snagged a tight 4-2 victory over the St. Paul Saints, but the real fireworks went off in the third inning when Max Anderson absolutely *crushed* his 14th home run of the season. That’s right, his 14th bomb, and it put the Hens in the driver’s seat early.
Anderson’s Bat Carries the Hens While Pitching Locks It Down
Anderson’s two-run shot to center field was a laser, clocked at 98.6 MPH off the bat, giving the Mud Hens a quick 3-0 lead. It’s not just the homers either; his .894 OPS and vastly improved plate discipline this season are screaming “future call-up.” Before Anderson’s blast, Trei Cruz had already doubled in John Peck, who had walked and stolen second. What a third inning, right?
On the mound, Austin Gomber was solid, giving up just one run before he left in the fifth. Enmanuel de Jesus let a solo shot get away in the sixth, but then Brant Hurter, Ty Madden, and Luke Taggart came in and slammed the door shut. Taggart even picked up his first Triple-A save! These guys know how to close it out. They even got an insurance run in the eighth when Bennett Lee got plunked, Cal Stevenson singled pinch-hitting for Peck, and Cruz came up clutch again with another RBI double to make it 4-2. You gotta love to see that late-game hustle!
SeaWolves Scuffle While Dombkowski Deals For Altoona
Over in Erie, the SeaWolves had a much tougher night, falling 6-1 to the Altoona Curve. Lucas Elissalt struggled right out of the gate, needing 15 pitches for just two hitters after his first out, giving up a walk and a single, then two more singles for a run. After getting two punch-outs and a pop-up, he was already over 30 pitches and had to be pulled. Brutal. Yoniel Curet came in and got shelled for three runs in the second and another in the third. Talk about a gut punch.
Meanwhile, Altoona’s veteran lefty Nick Dombkowski was absolutely *dealing*, throwing six perfect innings with six strikeouts. The SeaWolves finally got a couple of singles from Woody Hadeen and Zyhir Hope in the seventh after Dombkowski left, but a ground ball double play ended that threat. E.J. Exposito managed a double in the eighth and scored on a couple of groundouts, but that was all they could muster. What a frustrating night for those bats! And talk about a tough break: Ben Jacobs was once again absolutely brilliant for the West Michigan Whitecaps, but their bullpen coughed up a slim lead in the eighth, ending their Wednesday in a loss. You gotta feel for Jacobs there.
So, the Mud Hens are feeling good with the series tied up. They’ll be back at it Thursday for an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch. The SeaWolves, on the other hand, are staring down a 2-0 series deficit and need a big turnaround when they play Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET in Altoona. Will Anderson keep launching bombs? Will the SeaWolves find their bats? We’ll be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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