Mud Hens win 10-4 in dominant ninth inning rally

DES MOINES, IA - The Toledo Mud Hens pulled away in an initially close game against the Iowa Cubs to earn a 10-4 victory. The Mud Hens and Cubs played closely through eight innings, but the Hens’ rally in the ninth sealed the deal.

After suffering a groin injury in the Majors earlier this month, Kyle Finnegan made a rehab appearance with the Toledo Mud Hens. Finnegan would face just three batters, before being pulled from the game. The Detroit closer picked up a strikeout and topped out at 97 mph in his 13 pitches dealt.

Matt Seelinger would enter in relief of Finnegan to close out the first inning. He would allow the first run of the game come the second inning, as Chase Strumpf hit his second solo-homer in as many days.

In the fourth inning, Toledo was able to take the lead on just three hits. Eduardo Valencia and Max Anderson picked up a base hit, bringing Trei Cruz to the plate with runners on second and third. Cruz drove in his thirtieth run of the season as he lined a single of his own.

Andrew Navigato then drew a walk against Luke Little to load the bases. Little would battle with Kevin Newman, but dealt another free pass to put the Hens ahead 2-1. The bases remained loaded with just one out, but Toledo could not capitalize as Riley Unroe hit into an inning-ending double play.

Woo-Suk Go would work the fifth and sixth inning for the Hens. Go was able to fend off the Cubs in the fifth, but had some struggles in the sixth. A throwing error while trying to pick off pinch runner Billy Hamilton quickly put Iowa in scoring position. Jonathan Long was able to take advantage of this and tie the game 2-2 with an RBI single. Following an Ed Howard walk, Dixon Machado joined in on the action, putting Iowa ahead 4-2 with a ground ball that worked its way into left field.

Needing to work their way back into the game, the Hens began their late-game rally with some big hits by the middle of the lineup. Valencia got aboard with a single, before Gage Workman hit a double into center field. Anderson then earned an RBI on a groundout, before Workman scored on a fielding error to tie the game 4-4.

Alex Lange sat the Cubs down in order to give his team a chance to take the lead in the final inning. Akil Baddoo and Valencia worked walks against Gavin Hollowell. Workman drove in the go-ahead run, before Anderson extended the lead to 6-4 with an RBI double. Iowa would then elect to intentionally walk Cruz, allowing Navigato to drive in Workman with a sacrifice fly. Things fell apart for the Cubs after that. Kevin Newman made it 8-4 with an RBI double, before Unroe put the finishing touch on the score by driving in two runs with a single to right field.

The Toledo Mud Hens and the Iowa Cubs will play again Friday at 7:08 p.m.

Notables:

• Eduardo Valencia (3-4, 2B, 3 R, BB)
• Max Anderson (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R)
• Gage Workman (2-5, RBI, 3 K)