The Toledo Mud Hens pulled off a wild 9-7 victory over the Indianapolis Indians on Tuesday, clawing their way back in a game that felt like it was slipping away! It was an absolute nail-biter where the pitching struggled hard, but the offense absolutely erupted when it mattered most to seal the deal.
Jace Jung and the Offense Went Absolutely Bonkers
From the jump, the Hens offense showed flashes. Max Anderson singled and then Jace Jung doubled him in for a quick 1-0 lead in the first. After the Indians tied it, the bottom of the third saw the Hens really explode. Max Burt, Trei Cruz, and Cal Stevenson all got on base with nobody out. Anderson singled to score Burt, and then Jung, who was just on fire, singled in both Cruz and Stevenson! Seby Zavala’s ground out plated Anderson later that inning, and suddenly it was 5-1.
But the Indians fought back, tying it up 5-5 in the fourth. Did the Hens flinch? Nope! Trei Cruz led off the bottom half with a double, part of an insane four-hit game for him. Jung then lifted a sac fly to plate Cruz, grabbing the lead right back. Corey Julks tripled in Stevenson, and then James Outman doubled in Julks to make it an 8-5 game. That’s how you respond to a tie!
Rough Mounds and a Bullpen on a Tightrope
Let’s be real, the pitching staff had a seriously tough night. Austin Gomber got hit hard, giving up a solo shot in the second and a two-run triple in the fourth. Andre Granillo came in and immediately gave up a two-run homer that tied the game at 5-5. The bullpen, overall, wasn’t exactly lights out, but they did just enough to hang on. Brant Hurter came on in the sixth, giving up a walk and a single. His velocity was a bit better, hitting 91 mph with the sinker, and he even punched out a rehabbing Konner Griffin with a sweet changeup. Brenan Hanifee pitched around a leadoff double in the seventh, but then gave up a solo shot to Nick Cimillo in the eighth. It got dicey in the ninth when Jack Little gave up another run, cutting the lead to 9-7, but he locked it down with a ground out and a strikeout to get the save. Talk about cutting it close!
Meanwhile, out on the other side of the league, the Erie SeaWolves saw their bullpen crumble in a 7-5 loss to the Somerset Patriots. Lucas Elissalt had a decent outing for the SeaWolves, and Zyhir Hope absolutely crushed his 27th homer of the season. Still, it wasn’t enough to secure the win in their final home series opener.
The Mud Hens are back at it tonight, Wednesday, with a 6:35 p.m. ET start in Toledo. They’ve got this homestand to finish up before heading to Iowa to play the Cubs next week, then wrapping up at home against the Louisville Bats from September 15-20. Let’s see if the bats stay hot and the pitching can find its groove!
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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