=Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens begin a four-game series with Louisville at Fifth Third Field tonight , with first pitch at 6 p.m. I’m responsible for a lot of writing tonight, so let’s get rolling!
6:00 p.m. – I’m going to be in and out with writing, but the blog will be live tonight. I’ll get things rolling with lineups, OK?
6:05 p.m. –The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin. ... Leading off and playing 3B is Justin Henry, followed by Danny Worth at 2B, Andy Dirks in RF, John Lindsey at DH, Danny Dorn at 1B, Jerad Head in LF, Matt Young at CF, Bryan Holaday at C, Argenis Diaz at SS and LHP Adam Wilk as the starting pitcher. Louisville lineup is next ...
6:10 p. m. -- The Louisville lineup of manager David Bell ... Leading off and playing CF is Denis Phipps, followed by DiDi Gregorius in SS, Henry Rodriguez at 3B, Neftail Soto at 1B, Mike Costanzo at DH, Cody Puckett at 2B, Felix Perez in RF, Corky Miller at C, Bill Rhinehart in RF and RHP Sean Gallagher as the starting pitcher.
6:19 p.m. -- OK, a few notes ... Here's a quick look at the Mud Hens rotation entering this homestand. After Wilk tonight the Hens will have LHP Casey Crosby on Sunday, RHP Brooks Brown on Monday, and RHP Thad Weber on Tuesday. Toledo has a day off Wednesday before beginning a four-game series on Thursday on Rochester. The first pitcher in that series is LHP Ramon Garcia.
6:26 p.m. -- You may have noticed that LHP Andy Oliver is not in the Mud Hens' rotation. Toledo manager Phil Nevin confirmed to me that Oliver will move to the bullpen. I'll have more in Sunday's paper about it. Sorry to be a tease!
6:32 p.m. -- A fair number of celebrities at today's game. Among those throwing out the first pitch before today's game is Bowling Green State University football coach Dave Clawson. Among those in the press box is author John Feinstein, who has written a variety of outstanding books and is currently working on a book involving minor-league baseball. We are on our best behavior in the press box tonight!
6:45 p.m. -- The biggest addition to the Mud Hens roster is C Brad Davis, who was signed by the Tigers as a free agent earlier this week. Click here to find out more about Davis.
6:52 p.m. -- The move the Mud Hens made to open the roster spot from Oliver, by the way, was placing OF Ben Guez on the disabled list. Nevin said that Guez should be able to return soon, but the team's current pitching situation (or need for pitchers) made it logical to put Guez on the DL for a few days to recover.
7:09 p.m. -- Adam Wilk gives up a two-out double but otherwise survives the first inning without incident. Wilk did throw 20 pitches in the first inning, 13 of which were strikes. He did notch a pair of strikeouts. There is no score as the Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the first.
7:18 p.m. -- The Mud Hens strike for a pair of first-inning runs off Louisville starter Sean Gallagher. A little two-out lightning struck as Andy Dirks drew a two-out walk, stole second base, then trotted home when John Lindsey slammed a no-doubt home run to left-center and onto Monroe Street. Lindsey now has seven home runs in 31 games with the Mud Hens. Toledo leads 2-0 as we head to the second.
7:48 p.m. -- RHP Adam Wilk is providing exactly what the doctor ordered through the first four innings. Not only has he shut out Louisville on one hit, he has thrown just 52 pitches through four innings. With the bullpen situation being what it is, Wilk needs to pitch deep into the game to give the bullpen a respite of sorts. We are heading to the fifth with the score still Toledo 2, Louisville 0.
8:25 p.m. -- Sorry, really busy tonight ... here is an update on Andy Dirks: After drawing a walk in the first inning, he grounded into a double play to end the third, then struck out on a breaking ball in the sixth. Dirks was batting with runners on first an second with no one out, but Danny Dorn picked him up with a double high off the wall in right field. We've finished the sixth, and the Mud Hens now leads Louisville 4-0.
9:03 p.m. -- Sorry, have been too busy to do much blogging tonight. Here's the update ... and it wasn't pretty. Adam Wilk got the Hens into the eighth inning allowing just five hits and no runs. He got one out, then gave up a triple and was replaced by Luis Marte, who had lots of problems. How bad? RBI single, double, RBI single, and one out later another RBI single before getting a called third strike for the final out of the inning. Mud Hens now clinging to a 4-3 lead as they come to bat in the bottom of the eighth.
9:30 p.m. -- Wow. Simply wow. The Mud Hens complete their implosion by giving up five runs in the top of the ninth inning, turning a 4-0 lead into an 8-4 deficit as they come to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Closer Chris Bootcheck got an out, then gave up two singles before getting the second out. Neftali Soto singled in a run to tie the game, with the runners advancing to second and third. The Hens intentionally walked a batter to load the bases, and Cody Puckett unloaded them with a grand slam. Toledo comes to bat in the bottom of the ninth, trailing 8-4.
9:36 p.m. -- The Mud Hens are retired in order in the bottom of the ninth and lose, 8-4. Heading to the clubhouse, so I'm going to close the blog. Thanks for following along!
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