Coop Scoop

Mud Hens in-game blog -- June 17

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Lehigh Valley at Fifth Third Field on Monday, June 17. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (36-33) at Toledo Mud Hens (30-41)

First pitch: 7 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

LEHIGH VALLEY: Leading off and playing CF is Jermaine Mitchell, followed by Cesar Hernandez in 2B, Cody Asche at 3B, Darin Ruf in LF, Cody Overbeck at DH, Josh Fields at 1B, Leandro Castro in RF, Cameron Rupp at C, Pete Orr at SS and RHP Tyler Cloyd as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing CF is Kevin Russo, followed by Danny Worth at SS, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos at LF, Danny Dorn at DH, Mike Cervenak at 3B, Ben Guez in RF, Brad Davis at C, Argenis Diaz at 2B and LHP Casey Crosby as the starting pitcher.

POST-GAME NOTES

• No question from Hens manager Phil Nevin that Robbie Weinhardt was the star of the game for Toledo. Weinhardt's 5.2 innings were almost double his previous longest outing for the Mud Hens. He gave up five runs, but three were unearned after the error in the fourth and the other two came on a two-run homer on the 74th and final pitch he threw (almost 20 pitches more than previous high). Simply put, Weinhardt saved the bullpen AND gave the Hens the chance to win.

• Speaking of winning, the Mud Hens now have won seven in a row. Toledo improves to 13-3 in the month of June, the best mark in the International League. That is nearly double the team's April win total (7-20) and more wins than in 30 games in May (11-19).

• Mud Hens 3B Mike Cervenak finished with three hits in four at-bats. Cervenak finished only a triple short of the cycle and had two runs scored and two RBIs. Cervenak now has hit .327 in 13 games since joining the Hens.

• The word in the Mud Hens clubhouse was cautious optimism for the Casey Crosby injury. According to manager Phil Nevin, Crosby twisted his left knee (his push-off knee) when he landed wrong on his first warm-up pitch in the second. The team will know more Tuesday when Crosby comes to the park, but the feeling was that the injury was not serious.

• No word after the game on who would pick up the start Wednesday for Toledo versus Lehigh Valley. The Hens' scheduled starter, Jose Alvarez, will not make that start and instead will be promoted to Detroit to start against the Red Sox on Thursday.

NINTH INNING

Bruce Rondon nails down the save with a 1-2-3 inning that included two strikeouts. The Mud Hens now have won seven in a row and are 13-3 in June. Heading to the clubhouse ... thanks for following along!

EIGHTH INNING

Toledo gets a leadoff double by Kevin Russo, who moved to third on a ground ball by Danny Worth -- Lehigh Valley shortstop Pete Orr foolishly tried to throw Russo out at third. But the Hens didn't score as Worth was caught stealing, and the next two batters were retired. We'll see Bruce Rondon in the ninth to try and preserve an 8-6 Mud Hens lead.

Mud Hens reliever Al Alburquerque strikes out all three batters he faces in the eighth, meaning he struck out five in 1.1 innings. That's right ... four outs, five strikeouts. Don't forget the passed ball on the first strikeout of the night. Alburquerque threw 27 pitches, 17 for strikes.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens get a leadoff single by Mike Cervenak -- his third hit of the night -- but Cervenak got picked off first after a tricky move by IronPigs reliever Greg Smith. Ben Guez then drew a walk, but that was it for Toledo. The Hens lead Lehigh Valley 8-6 as we move to the eighth.

Robbie Weinhardt nearly got through his sixth inning of work unscathed, but instead he gave up a two-out double and then a home run to Jermaine Mitchell. Al Alburquerque came on in relief of Weinhardt and struck out Cesar Hernandez -- but strike three was a passed ball that allowed Hernandez to reach first. Hernandez stole second, but Alburquerque struck out another hitter to end the inning. Toledo is not out of the woods, with its lead cut to 8-6 as they come to bat in the seventh.

SIXTH INNING

The Mud Hens get a couple of runners on base but fail to score. We move to the seventh with Toledo still leading Lehigh Valley 8-4.

Another terrific inning of work by Robbie Weinhardt to get the IronPigs out again in the sixth. There was a out-out single, but Weinhardt got the next batter to hit into an inning-ending double play. What an impressive effort by Weinhardt after starter Casey Crosby was injured.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens keep piling on the runs ... getting two more hits in front of a sacrifice fly by Danny Dorn and a two-run homer by Mike Cervenak. That's the third two-run homer of the game for Toledo, and it knocks Tyler Cloyd out of the game. Toledo now leads 8-4 as we move to the sixth.

Robbie Weinhardt gave up a leadoff walk and a sacrifice, but held the runner at second on a pair of flyouts. Terrific work by Weinhardt in an emergency effort in relief of Casey Crosby.

FOURTH INNING

So much for that deficit ... The Mud Hens pound a PAIR of home runs to take a 5-4 lead. With one out Mike Cervenak lined a double to the gap in left-center, and Ben Guez slammed a pitch onto Monroe Street for his 11th home run this season. Then Brad Davis singled, stole second base (his first steal of the season), and Argenis Diaz unloaded a bomb into the seats in straight-away center -- the deepest part of the ballpark. Toledo will carry a 5-4 lead into the fifth.

A bad mistake by Danny Worth ends up costing the Mud Hens three runs. After two quick outs, Robbie Weinhardt gave up a single, but then seemed to get out of further trouble when Josh Fields hit a grounder to shortstop. But Worth double-clutched before throwing to first, and Fields beat the throw for an error. The next batter, Leandro Castro, followed with a LONG three-run homer to left-center. The IronPigs lead 4-1 as the Mud Hens come to bat.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens tied the game thanks to a leadoff single by Argenis Diaz and a one-out double to the wall in left-center by Danny Worth. Worth moved to third with two outs, but a line drive by Nick Castellanos was speared by Lehigh Valley shortstop Pete Orr on a leaping grab. The game is tied 1-1 as we move to the fourth.

Another quick inning by Robbie Weinhardt, who got three quick outs on 12 pitches. Good news: Weinhardt has thrown just 23 pitches in two innings, which means he should be good for at least another inning. That's especially important when you consider the Mud Hens are losing Wednesday's scheduled starter, Jose Alvarez, and probably will need to cover innings in that game as well.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order, with a pair of called third strikes by Lehigh Valley starter Tyler Cloyd, who needed just nine pitches to retire the Hens. Last season Cloyd was the International League's pitcher of the year, so he's capable of dominating. Still 1-0 Lehigh Valley as we move to the third.

Casey Crosby came on to warm up for the second ... and slumped in pain soon after. Crosby leaves the game with an undisclosed injury. It probably happened on that first grounder down the first-base line by Jermaine Mitchell. The Hens bring on Robbie Weinhardt in relief, and Weinhardt gets a double play to pitch around a leadoff double.

FIRST INNING

The Mud Hens get two-out singles by Jordan Lennerton -- who now has reached base in 48 consecutive games, more than any other hitter in baseball, majors or minors -- and Nick Castellanos, but stranded the runners. Lehigh Valley takes a 1-0 lead into the second.

Mud Hens starter Casey Crosby was fortunate to give up just one run in the first inning, although he also came very close to escaping unscathed. He gave up an infield single to Jermaine Mitchell on a slow roller down the first-base line ... it caused Crosby to try and make an acrobatic play (kind of a rolling throw as he picked the ball up near the line and tried to throw in one motion), and he came up gimpy but stayed in the game. Crosby then picked Mitchell off first base, and that proved critical when Cesar Hernandez followed with a triple. With the infield in, Crosby got a groundout, but then gave up a fly-ball to right-center that fell between the two fielders for an RBI double. Lehigh Valley leads 1-0 as the Mud Hens come to bat.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• The Mud Hens begin an eight-game homestand with the first of four games against Lehigh Valley. The Hens have won six in a row and are 12-3 in the month of June, the best record in the International League in that span.

• There have been some changes in the Mud Hens roster, though. Before today's game, the Tigers called up C Bryan Holaday to replace Alex Avila, who went on the disabled list after getting hit on the arm by a pitch Sunday. Also Detroit promoted OF Avisail Garcia to take the roster spot of Anibal Sanchez, who also went on the disabled list.

• Curious that the Tigers called up an outfield to replace a pitcher, isn't it? Well, there's a method to Detroit's madness. The Tigers put Sanchez on the DL today, retroactive to his start Saturday in Minnesota, so his time on the disabled list would be lessened -- and that the Tigers can get a replacement until his next start comes up, which happens Thursday. On Thursday the Tigers will call up LHP Jose Alvarez to start against Boston, and Detroit will need to make a move to open up a roster spot for Alvarez.

• A quick word on Lehigh Valley, which also has been hot in June (11-4): The only familiar face on the roster (in terms of former Mud Hens and/or Tigers) is RHP Zach Miner, who is in the IronPigs' bullpen. For those of you wondering about the whereabouts of RHP Carlos Zambrano: He starts for the 'Pigs against the Hens Tuesday.

• Since it's the first day of the homestand, there aren't a lot of links to check out. Click here to read a review of the past week, including a look back at the road trip and a look ahead at both Lehigh Valley and Pawtucket.  Click here to read the game story from Sunday's extra-inning win in Syracuse.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- June 7

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Louisville at Fifth Third Field on Friday, June 7. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Columbus Clippers (30-31) at Toledo Mud Hens (22-40)

First pitch: 7 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

COLUMBUS: Leading off and playing CF is Ezequiel Carrera, followed by Tim Fedroff in LF, Cord Phelps at 2B, Lonnie Chisenhall at 3B, Chun Chen at 1B, Jeremy Hermida at DH, Lou Marson at C, Matt Lawson at SS, Matt Carson in RF and LHP T.J. House as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing CF is Kevin Russo, followed by Brandon Douglas at 2B, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos at DH, Danny Dorn in RF, Mike Cervenak at 3B, Ben Guez in LF, Bryan Holaday at C, Argenis Diaz at SS and LHP Pat Misch as the starting pitcher.

NINTH INNING

Mud Hens reliever Robbie Weinhardt gave up two hits -- one actually, as the second hit was a grounder by Jeremy Hermida that hit Lonnie Chisenhall on the foot for an out -- but finished off Toledo's fifth shutout of the season. Hens win, 6-0. Heading to the clubhouse ... thanks for following along!

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens are set down in 1-2-3 order by Columbus reliever Cole Cook. We head to the ninth with Toledo in command 6-0.

The Clippers are mowed down by Evan Reed in the eighth, who pitched around a two-out error to retire Columbus without difficulty.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens get two walks to lead off the inning, and that was the end of the day for Columbus starter T.J. House. Reliever Cole Cook got one out, then allowed an RBI single by Ben Guez and a two-run double by Bryan Holaday. That closed the book on House, who ended up giving up five runs and walking seven. Toledo now leads 6-0 as we move to the eighth.

Pat Misch faced one batter in the seventh, Jeremy Hermida, who singled. With a slew of right-handed hitters coming up, manager Phil Nevin made a switch and brought in Evan Reed. Reed was extremely effective, getting a double play and a called third strike to shut things down.

SIXTH INNING

Two exciting plays resulted in another run for the Mud Hens. With one out Argenis Diaz slammed a line drive to the gap in left-center that rolled to the wall -- the Clippers were playing him to right-center -- and ran out a triple. Then Kevin Russo laid down a bunt on a suicide squeeze, with Diaz scoring easily and Russo reaching first for the infield hit. We go to the seventh with the Hens in front 3-0.

Toledo starter Pat Misch gave up a two-out triple to Lonnie Chisenhall, but got the next batter, Chun Chen, to fly out to end the inning. Still Mud Hens 2-0 as Toledo comes to bat in the bottom of the inning.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a walk and two singles to load the bases with no one out ... but failed to score. The lead runner was forced at the plate for the first out, and Ben Guez hit into an inning-ending double play. Still 2-0 Mud Hens as we move to the sixth.

Toledo starter Pat Misch gave up a one-out single by the Clippers' Matt Lawson, the first Columbus hit to leave the infield. But Misch pitches out of further trouble and preserves the 2-0 lead.

FOURTH INNING

First bad inning for the Toledo offense, which was retired in 1-2-3 order for the first time by Columbus starter T.J. House. Worse, it took House just 10 pitches to set down the Hens. Toledo still leads 2-0 as we move to the fifth.

After two outs, Pat Misch gave up a walk, then struck out Jeremy Hermida to give the fans some ice cream and end the innings. Misch now has three strikeouts and one walk through four innings.

THIRD INNING

After two quick outs, Mike Cervenak drew a walk and Ben Guez singled to put two on with two out, but the Mud Hens failed to add to their lead. The only good news is that Columbus starter T.J. House has already thrown 54 pitches, 31 of which were strikes, through just three innings. Toledo still leads 2-0 as we move to the fourth.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Pat Misch, this one taking just eight pitches (five of weeks were strikes). Good shutdown inning for Misch, who got his teammates back into the dugout quickly after they had scored two runs. Misch has thrown 44 pitches, 27 for strikes, through the first three innings.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens scored twice in the second as the first two batters, Mike Cervenak and Ben Guez, led off with singles, and one out later Argenis Diaz singled Cervenak home and a sacrifice fly by Kevin Russo brought home another. Toledo leads 2-0 as we move to the third.

A hit-by-pitch and a bunt single put runners on first and second with no one out against Pat Misch, but the Hens starter pitched out of trouble. He got a near double-play, a called third strike of Lou Marson, and a foul popout to end the threat. And just 36 pitches so far for Misch, who probably is on a pitch count -- I would guess somewhere in the 80-plus pitch range.

FIRST INNING

Curious inning for Columbus starter T.J. House, who got the first two outs with just three pitches, then suddenly missed with eight straight pitches for back-to-back walks before Danny Dorn is retired on a terrific running catch into foul territory by Clippers' 3B Lonnie Chisenhall. Chisenhall has made a whopping seven errors in just 18 games, but he certain made a strong play there, catching the ball just before he ran into the edge of the stands. No score as we move to the second.

Mud Hens starter Pat Misch retired the Clippers in 1-2-3 order in the first inning, throwing 10 of his 15 pitches for strikes. Two groundouts, which also is a good sign for him.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• The Tigers signed a free agent to add to the Mud Hens roster, adding IF Mike Cervenak. Click here to find out more about Cervenak.

• The Mud Hens currently have just 24 men on the roster, and manager Phil Nevin said he expects the Toledo roster will remain that way for the time being.

• A little info on the Clippers, who serve as Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate. No word on why Columbus pulled starter Carlos Carrasco before Thursday's game. Clippers manager Chris Tremie cryptically said, "We are preparing for some things," when asked why Carrasco was pulled before the start.

• The Clippers also put 1B Matt LaPorta on the disabled list when a left hip injury. To take his spot on the roster, Columbus has activated LHP J.C. Romero.

• Finally, here are a few links from Sunday’s game. Click here to read the game story by The Blade’s David Briggs. And click here to view Jeremy Wadsworth’s photo gallery from the game.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- June 3

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Louisville at Fifth Third Field on Monday, June 3. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Louisville Bats (27-30) at Toledo Mud Hens (20-38)

First pitch: 7 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

LOUISVILLE: Leading off and playing CF is Billy Hamilton, followed by Kristopher Negron at SS, Felix Perez in LF, Mike Hessman at 1B, Neftali Soto at 3B, Denis Phipps in RF, Emmanuel Burriss at 2B, Corky Miller at DH, Konrad Schmidt at C and RHP Armando Galarraga as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing SS is Argenis Diaz, followed by Brandon Douglas at 2B, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn in DH, Ben Guez in RF, Mike Cervenak at 3B, Ramon Cabrera at C, Kevin Russo in CF and LHP Jose Alvarez as the starting pitcher.

UPDATE

NOTE: The Mud Hens weren't able to activate Mike Cervenak for today's game, so the Toledo lineup has been switched. The changes in the Hens lineup looks like this: Bryan Holaday will enter the lineup and serve as the DH, batting in Cervenak's seventh spot. Here is the manuevering of the Hens' defense: Kevin Russo moved from centerfield to third base; Ben Guez moved from rightfield to centerfield; and Danny Dorn moved from the DH spot to rightfield.

NINTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a two-out walk by Bryan Holaday, then Ramon Cabrera smoked a ball that seemed headed into the right-field corner -- except it was caught by Mike Hessman at first base to end the game. Baseball is a game of inches, and in this game the "inches" cost the Mud Hens their three-game winning streak.

Jess Todd came on in the ninth and gave up a one-out single to Neftali Soto, but pitched out of further trouble. If the Mud Hens want to complete their four-game sweep of Louisville, the Hens needs to score at least one run in the bottom of the ninth, which is next ...

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens get a two-out single by Jordan Lennerton that knocks Armando Galarraga out of the game, but Louisville reliever Jose Diaz got Nick Castellanos to fly out to end the inning. We move to the ninth with the Bats holding a 3-2 lead.

The string of 19 batters in a row retired by Jose Alvarez is stopped by a leadoff single by Emmanuel Burriss, and two outs later everything comes crashing down thanks to the speed of Billy Hamilton. Hamilton hit a line drive to centerfield that Ben Guez tried to snag with a diving catch ... but the ball rolled past him. And that's all it took for Hamilton to race around the bases with an inside-the-park two-run homer. For those wishing Guez would have tried to keep the ball in front of him for a double ... the next batter, Kristopher Negron, doubled to the wall in right-center on a ball that would have scored both runners. An impressive performance by Alvarez is spoiled by a couple of hard-hit balls. Louisville now leads 3-2 as the Hens come to bat in the bottom of the eighth.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order by Armando Galarraga, who had allowed at least one baserunner in each of the last six innings but pitched around almost all of them. We move to the eighth with the Hens nursing a 2-1 lead.

Toledo starter Jose Alvarez continues to deal, collecting three more outs. He now has retired 19 in a row, and not many good swings against him.

SIXTH INNING

A crazy two-out play allows the Mud Hens to score a run that gives them a 2-1 lead. With two outs and Nick Castellanos on first base, Danny Dorn hit a fly ball to center. Billy Hamilton got a late jump on the ball and nearly caught it ... but got a short hop instead. He hit the ground, and the ball flipped out of his glove 10-15 feet away. When Castellanos arrived at third base Hamilton was picking up the ball ... but fell down instead. So Castellanos set out for home, and he beat the throw to the plate. As a result, the Mud Hens take a 2-1 lead into the seventh.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Jose Alvarez, who now has retired 16 in a row. He has thrown just 74 pitches through six innings (53 strikes) and has seven strikeouts.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens get a one-out single by Ramon Cabrera but otherwise hit into bad luck in the fifth. With one out and Cabrera at first, Kevin Russo hit a ball back up the middle that Armando Galarraga was able to stop, then throw to second to force the lead runner. Then Argenis Diaz hit a hard ground ball back up the middle that hits Gallaraga in the leg -- and rolls back to catcher Konrad Schmitz, who managed to throw Diaz out at first on a bang-bang play. We move to the sixth the score still tied 1-1.

Another 1-2-3 inning by Jose Alvarez, who now has retired 13 straight hitters. Not a lot of good swings against him, either. Alvarez is up to 63 pitches, 44 of which have been strikes.

FOURTH INNING

Jordan Lennerton worked back from an 0-2 count to earn a leadoff walk, but he was erased on a doubleplay groundout by Nick Castellanos. Then Danny Dorn beat out an infield single up the middle but was retired on a groundout. The pitch counts for Toledo's Jose Alvarez and Louisville's Armando Galarraga are similar as Alvarez is at 51 pitches (35 strikes) and Galarraga is at 53 pitches (32 strikes). It's 1-1 as we move to the fifth.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Jose Alvarez, who now has retired 10 Louisville hitters in a row. Alvarez now has four strikeouts in four innings as the Mud Hens come to bat in a 1-1 tie.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens tie the game thanks to a home run by Kevin Russo, who slammed a 1-0 pitch from Armando Galarraga off the base of a scoreboard in left for his first home run of the season. Nothing else from the Hens this inning, but enough for Toledo to send the game to the fourth, tied 1-1.

Another quick inning for Toledo's Jose Alvarez, who retired the Bats in 1-2-3 order. He needed just nine pitches this inning, eight of which were strikes, and has thrown just 35 pitches (24 strikes) in three innings.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens get a two-out walk by Ben Guez, but that was it in the second. Louisville leads 1-0 as we move to the third.

Jose Alvarez dispatched the Bats in 1-2-3 order in the second, taking just eight pitches to do so.

FIRST INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order by former Mud Hens and Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga. Louisville leads 1-0 as we head to the second.

The Bats nick Mud Hens starter Jose Alvarez for a run in the first inning. Alvarez got ahead of leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton 0-2, but Hamilton flicked a double into the left-field corner to get the rally starter. A bunt single by Kristopher Negron moved Hamilton to third, and he scored on a sacrifice fly. Alvarez also had a walk, but he threw just 18 pitches to finish the inning.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• The Tigers signed a free agent to add to the Mud Hens roster, adding IF Mike Cervenak. Click here to find out more about Cervenak.

• The Mud Hens also sent IF Corey Jones to Double-A Erie. Jones had played in just seven games for Toledo, hitting .190 with an RBI. The Hens roster is at 24 players with the addition of Cervenak and the deletion of Jones. Toledo has been a man down since Sunday when the parent Tigers designated Quintin Berry for assignment after trading for Fernando Martinez.

• Good news on the Danny Worth front. Worth is in Lakeland working in extended spring training. There’s no timetable for his return, but the fact that he is doing on-field work is a step forward.

• Not-so-good news on the Luis Marte front. Marte had shoulder surgery and is not expected to be back in action this season. His injury did not result in a labrum surgery, but he still is not expected to pitch in a game until winter ball at the earliest.

• Finally, here are a few links from Sunday’s game. Click here to read the game story. Click here to read the in-game blog. Click here to read a post-game blog that looks at the play of several Mud Hens. And click here to view Amy Voigt’s photo gallery from the game.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- June 2

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Louisville at Fifth Third Field on Sunday, June 2. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Louisville Bats (27-29) at Toledo Mud Hens (19-38)

First pitch: 6 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

LOUISVILLE: Leading off and playing CF is Billy Hamilton, followed by Henry Rodriguez at 3B, Felix Perez in LF, Mike Hessman at 1B, Neftali Soto at DH, Denis Phipps in RF, Nevin Ashley at C, Emmanuel Burriss at 2B, Kristopher Negron at SS and LHP Tony Cingrani as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing 3B is Argenis Diaz, followed by Brandon Douglas at 2B, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Ben Guez in RF, Bryan Holaday at C, Ramon Cabrera at DH, Kevin Russo in CF, Gustavo Nunez at SS and LHP Pat Misch as the starting pitcher.

TENTH INNING

The Mud Hens take advantage of a defensive mistake to score a run in the bottom of the tenth and claim a 4-3 victory. With two outs and no one on, Brandon Douglas hit a fly ball to center that Louisville's Billy Hamilton broke back on, then was unable to break in on to catch. Douglas, hustling out of the box, reached second with a double. The Bats intentionally walked Jordan Lennerton, and Nick Castellanos made Louisville pay by lining a game-winning single to right-center. Mud Hens win, 4-3. To the clubhouse ...

The Mud Hens call on Bruce Rondon, and he blows the Bats away with three strikeouts. Rondon threw 16 pitches, 12 of which were strikes, and had a pretty good breaking ball. Toledo comes to bat in the bottom of the tenth, tied 3-3.

NINTH INNING

No ninth-inning magic for the Hens tonight, as they are retired in order. We head to extra innings with the score still tied 3-3. This is the tenth extra-inning game of the season for the Hens. Here we go ...

Toledo's Evan Reed returned for the ninth and set down the Bats in 1-2-3 order. What's more, he needed just 11 pitches to get the job done. It's all set up for the Mud Hens to score a run for another walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth ...

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens have a great chance to take the lead as Brandon Douglas was hit by a pitch from Louisville reliever Curtis Partch with one out, and Jordan Lennerton moved Douglas to third with a single. But Nick Castellanos hit a hard line drive to second that was caught by Emmanuel Burriss, and Ben Guez struck out. We move to the ninth with the score still tied 3-3.

Former Hen Mike Hessman greets Toledo reliever Evan Reed with a double into the gap in left-center, and Reed walks Denis Phipps with one out. But Reed retires the Bats to keep the game tied 3-3.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in order in the seventh, with Louisville starter Tony Cingrani having thrown 101 pitches. I would suspect his day is over ... but we go to the eighth with the score still tied 3-3.

With one out Brayan Villarreal committed the cardinal sin of walking the Bats' Billy Hamilton. But Hens catcher Bryan Holaday erased that mistake by throwing Hamilton out at second. Holaday leads the International League in runners caught stealing this season.

SIXTH INNING

The Mud Hens took a chance ... and it produced the run that tied the game. With two outs and no one on, Nick Castellanos lined a single to right, and Ben Guez then doubled into the right-field corner. Toledo manager Phil Nevin gambled and sent Castellanos to the plate. Castellanos would have been out if the throw home had been a good one -- but Bats shortstop Kristopher Negron airmailed the throw to the plate, allowing Castellanos to score. It's now 3-3 as we move to the seventh.

Toledo starter Pat Misch walked the leadoff man and then collected his sixth strikeout of the game. He was replaced by Brayan Villarreal, who hit the first batter he faced but then got the next two outs.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a two-out single by Gustavo Nunez -- who broke out of an 0-for-34 slump with that hit -- but no more. Still Louisville 3, Toledo 2 as we move to the sixth.

Another Louisville rally was blunted by a baserunning blunder by the Bats. Kristopher Negron led off with a double, but Bryan Holaday picked him off second ... another rundown ensued. That was the FOURTH time a Louisville baserunner was caught in a rundown. The poor baserunning has cost them some runs, for sure. Several nice throws from behind the plate by Holaday as well.

FOURTH INNING

Two big at-bats by the Mud Hens produce a pair of runs and get Toledo back into the game. With one out Jordan Lennerton lined a single up the middle, and Nick Castellanos lined a two-run homer to right. We move to the fifth inning in a 3-2 game.

The Bats get two more runs off Pat Misch as Felix Perez beat out a bunt single to lead off, and one out later Neftali Soto hit an opposite-field home run to right. There also was a double in the inning, but Misch kept the runner at second. Louisville now leads 3-0 as Toledo comes to bat in the fourth.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order with a another strikeout, the the fifth for Tony Cingrani. The Bats lead 1-0 as we move to the fourth.

A crazy inning costs the Hens a run as Toledo made THREE errors. The first came on the ground ball by Emmanuel Burriss down the third-base line that Argenis Diaz snagged, but threw wildly to first. Burriss was credited with a hit, then an error that moved him to second. Then things got crazy as Burriss was picked off second base by catcher Bryan Holaday -- except that, in the rundown that followed, Gustavo Nunez got in Burriss's way for interference, sending Burriss to third. Pat Misch got one out, and with the infield in Billy Hamilton hit a high hopper that Nunez jumped to catch -- only to see the ball bounce out of his glove for an error that allowed the run to score. Misch picked Hamilton off first base, but the Mud Hens come to bat trailing 1-0.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens finally break through for a hit against Louisville starter Tony Cingrani. With one out Ben Guez hit a grounder into the hole at shortstop, then beat the throw to first for a single. Guez also stole second, but Cingrani collected two more strikeouts. No score as we move to the third.

An inning that was both effective and efficient for Pat Misch, who retired the Bats in 1-2-3 order. He threw just 11 pitches in the inning and has just 24 pitches through the first two innings.

FIRST INNING

The Mud Hens went down in 1-2-3 order against Louisville nemesis Tony Cingrani, who struck out the first two hitters he faced before giving up a groundout to end the inning. Cingrani has pitched eight inning against Toledo this season and has not given up a hit, walking one and striking out 19. No score as we move to the second inning.

Mud Hens starter Pat Misch, found a little trouble in the first inning as he gave up back-to-back singles with one out. But on a throw to first base the Bats' Henry Rodriguez tried to score, and he was thrown out easily. Misch has not pitched since April 25, so he will be on a pitch limit of sorts. But he threw just 13 in the first as the Hens come to bat.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• The Mud Hens are affected by a move the Tigers made earlier in the day. Detroit made a trade with Seattle for IF-OF Fernando Martinez, and to make room for Martinez on the 40-man roster, the Tigers designated OF Quintin Berry for assignment.

• A word on Berry first … The Tigers have exposed Berry to waivers, meaning teams have a chance to claim him on waivers. I would expect a decision will be made by Tuesday, so we will know more at that time. Remember that, even if Berry is not claimed, he does have the option to become a free agent. We’ll know more Tuesday. Until that point, the Mud Hens will go with a 24-man roster.

• A word on Martinez next ... Martinez is a former Tigers prospect -- he was considered the fourth-best prospect in the Detroit organization by Baseball America a few years back -- who was traded to the Mariners in the Doug Fister trade. In 2011 Martinez began the season in Double-A Erie, where he hit .282 with seven homers and 46 RBIs in 91 games. After the trade he reported to Double-A Jackson in the Southern League, where he hit .310 with three homers and 23 RBIs in 33 games. But last season he struggled with injuries, as well as switch from third base to centerfield, and hit .227 with two homers and 23 RBIs in 95 games. This season he hit just .206 with no homers and five RBIs in 34 games.

• So why did the Tigers trade to get Martinez back? Well, one reason are his stolen base totals, which include 27 stolen bases last season and seven steals despite the .206 batting average this year. Another is the position move, as the word is the Tigers will move him back to third base. A third reason is that Martinez is just 22 years old. Detroit has sent his contract to Hi-A Lakeland, but I would be surprised if he didn't join Double-A Erie soon.

• Finally, here are a few links from Saturday’s game. Click here to read David Briggs's game story, which featured Quintin Berry. And click here to view Jeffrey Smith’s photo gallery from the game.

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Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 31

Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 31

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Louisville at Fifth Third Field on Friday, May 31. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Louisville Bats (27-27) at Toledo Mud Hens (17-38)

First pitch: 7 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

LOUISVILLE: Leading off and playing CF is Billy Hamilton, followed by Henry Rodriguez at 2B, Neftali Soto at 3B, Felix Perez in LF, Denis Phipps in RF, Mike Hessman at 1B, Emmanuel Burriss at SS, Nevin Ashley at C, Josh Fellhauer at DH and RHP Pedro Villarreal as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing 3B is Argenis Diaz, followed by Brandon Douglas at 2B, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn at RF, Ben Guez in CF, Bryan Holaday at C, Ramon Cabrera at DH, Gustavo Nunez at SS and RHP Derek Hankins as the starting pitcher.

POST-GAME NOTES

• After the game the Mud Hens announced a pair of moves. The first was the LHP Ramon Garcia would be sent down to Double-A Erie as LHP Pat Misch comes off the disabled list. Misch will start in place of Garcia for the Hens Sunday against Louisville. ... The second move involves LHP Kenny Faulk going to the disabled list with a broken hand. RHP Robbie Weinhardt was promoted from Erie to Toledo to take Faulk's spot on the roster.

• The Mud Hens' ninth-inning rally was the team's second walk-off win this season. It also was a one-run victory for Toledo, improving its record to 8-17 in one-run games. That is the most one-run games in the International League this season, and the Hens' .320 winning percentage in those games is the worst in the league.

• The Mud Hens posted an 11-18 record in May. That 11-18 record tied Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the worst record in the IL for the month. Toledo was 7-20 in April, which was the worst record in the league for that month as well.

• Here is an update on Hens 1B Jordan Lennerton and his "streaks." Lennerton saw an 18-game hit streak end Thursday in Charlotte, but that streak is tied for the longest hit streak in the International League this season. Lennerton singled Friday to extend his streak of games in which he has reached base to 32, which is the longest -- both active and overall -- in the IL this season. Worth noting: The guy with the second-longest streak of games having reached base in the IL this season is Mike Hessman, who now has reached base in 26 in a row.

NINTH INNING

The Mud Hens rally with two outs in ninth to claim the 3-2 win -- their second walk-off win of the season. Two key plays: The first came with two outs and no one on base as Brad Davis lined the ball into left-center, then beat the throw to second for a "hustle" double. The Ramon Cabrera lined a single up the middle to score Davis with the game-winner. Heading to the clubhouse ...

Hens reliever Evan Reed gives up a leadoff single to Felix Perez, but Reed then got a double play to blunt a potential rally. Reed then walked Mike Hessman, and on a 1-1 pitch Hessman took off for second. Problem for Hessman: Reed was still in the set position. Reed stepped off and ran Hessman down for an inning-end 1-3 caught stealing. Hens come to bat in the bottom of the ninth looking to score the run that will give them a win.

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens hit into some bad luck in the eighth. With one out Jordan Lennerton slammed a ball into the right-center gap that one-hopped the wall, but was played so well by Denis Phipps that Lennerton was held to a single. That proved crucial when Nick Castellanos hit a one-out rocket to shortstop that was turned into an inning-ending double play. We go to the ninth tied 2-2.

What a terrific defensive effort by Jordan Lennerton to spoil a potential Louisville rally in the inning. Matt Hoffman gave up a leadoff single to Josh Fellhauer, and Billy Hamilton tried to bunt Fellhauer to second. But Lennerton made a great diving catch on Hamilton's bunt (he came very close to the mound to grab it, just to give you a sense of how much ground he covered), then threw to first in time to double off Fellhauer. Hoffman gave up a single to the next batter, to show you how valuable the play by Lennerton was. Evan Reed got the final out of the inning to keep the game tied at 2-2.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens get two walks in the inning, but can't turn the baserunners into runs. We move to the eighth with the score still tied 2-2.

Derek Hankins retired the Bats in 1-2-3 order. His night probably is over, but it's a good start by Hankins, as he has allowed just four hits and one walk in seven innings of work. Mud Hens come to bat with the game still tied 2-2.

SIXTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order on three fly balls to center. Jordan Lennerton and Nick Castellanos hit the ball hard, but Billy Hamilton is fast enough to run down just about anything hit to center. The game is tied 2-2 as we move to the seventh.

The Bats score a run to tie the game at 2-2 despite some solid defensive play by the Mud Hens. Billy Hamilton led off with a double off the wall in right-center, but a nice play by Danny Dorn held him to second base. A groundout pushed Hamilton to third. Then Neftali Soto hit a grounder to third base that Argenis Diaz picked up cleanly and quickly threw home. The ball beat Hamilton at home by a mile, but the tag at the plate was high and Hamilton seemed to touch home plate before the tag was applied. Home plate ump A.J. Johnson called Hamilton safe, starting an argument that got Phil Nevin ejected. One pitch later, Toledo catcher Bryan Holaday was ejected. Derek Hankins got through the rest of the inning unharmed, but we're now tied at 2-2 as the Hens come to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order in the fifth -- on just nine pitches. The highlight of the inning, from a Toledo perspective, was watching former Hen Armando Gallaraga hug the Louisville player in the Kiss Cam promo. Still 2-1 Toledo as we head to the sixth.

Mike Hessman slammed the first pitch of the fifth inning over the fence in straight-away center for his 14th home run of the season. Three groundouts for Derek Hankins after that, and the Hens still lead 2-1 as they come to bat in the bottom of the fifth.

FOURTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a leadoff double by Danny Dorn, who moved to third on a flyout by Ben Guez. But Dorn was stranded at third, and the Mud Hens still lead 2-0 as we move to the fifth.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Derek Hankins, who has retired eight in a row (including a double play to get that streak started).

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in order in the third. But here's a note about pitch counts: After throwing just five pitches in the first, Louisville starter Pedro Villarreal has thrown 41 pitches, 27 for strikes. After throwing 17 in the first and 18 in the second, Toledo's Derek Hankins is at 42 pitches through three. Toledo leads 2-0 as we move to the fourth.

Derek Hankins retired the Bats in 1-2-3 order, and he got the job done in seven pitches. Credit for a nice catch by shortstop Gustavo Nunez, who ran into shallow right field to catch a popup by Billy Hamilton.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens get a two-run homer by Ben Guez to take the lead. Nick Castellanos led off with a walk, and one out later Guez slammed a 1-0 pitch to dead center for his seventh home run of the season. Toledo got a double and an error to put two on with one out after the home run but failed to score. Hens lead 2-0 as we move to the third.

Toledo's Derek Hankins gave up a leadoff walk to Mike Hessman, but Hankins then got Emmanuel Burriss to hit into a double play (thanks to a nice play by second baseman Brandon Douglas). The only bad thing is that Hankins' pitch count is a little bit elevated, as he has thrown 35 pitches through the first two innings.

FIRST INNING

Mud Hens are retired in the first as Brandon Douglas singled, but was erased when Jordan Lennerton hit into a double play. Bad news for the Hens: It took just five pitches for Louisville starter Pedro Villarreal to get through the first. No score as we move to the second.

Mud Hens starter Derek Hankins finds trouble in the first when he gives up back-to-back one-out singles. But Hankins got some help by Argenis Diaz at third base, as Diaz made a nifty catch at the edge of the fence in foul territory down the third-base line to get an out. Then Hankins got a flyout to end the inning.

We've got a rain delay at Fifth Third Field ... we are expected to start at 7:40 p.m.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• Let’s start with the Louisville Bats, who have several familiar faces on the roster. One is IF Mike Hessman, who did not play in the first series the two teams played here in Toledo. On the season Hessman, who starts at first base tonight, has hit .281 with 13 home runs and 25 RBIs. During May Hessman has batted .346 with eight homers and 15 RBIs in 22 games.

• One other familiar face with the Bats is former Tigers and Mud Hens RHP Armando Gallagara, he of the “perfect game.” This season Gallaraga, who will start Monday against the Hens, is 3-3 with a 2.94 ERA. … RHP Chad Reineke is a native of nearby Defiance who played at Ayersville High School. This season Reineke has split time between the Bats’ bullpen and rotation and has a 4-3 record and 3.57 ERA.

• As for the Mud Hens, the team isn’t much different from the one that left town May 23. IF Brandon Douglas came off the DL that day, but the team already had made a move to open up a roster spot for him. The only move the Mud Hens made on the road trip was activating LHP Casey Crosby from the disabled list May 27, with RHP Robbie Weinhardt send to Double-A Erie to make room for Crosby on the roster.

• The Mud Hens arrived at the ballpark around 2:30 p.m. following a flight from Charlotte, so the team arrived late at the ballpark. So it was hard to track specific players. With THAT disclaimer, a note that IF Danny Worth is not with the team. I believe he is working out in extended spring training in Florida, so he may be close to a return to action.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 21

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Syracuse at Fifth Third Field on Tuesday, May 21. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Syracuse Chiefs (17-27) at Toledo Mud Hens (15-31)

First pitch: 10:30 a.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

SYRACUSE: Leading off and playing RF is Chris Rahl, followed by Jeff Kobernus in LF, Will Rhymes at 2B, Chris Marrero at 1B, Corey Brown in CF, Mike Costanzo at DH, Zach Walters at SS, Carlos Rivero at 3B, Brian Jeroloman at C and RHP Ryan Tatusko as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Kevin Russo at 3B, Jordan Lennerton at DH, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn at 1B, Ben Guez in RF, Bryan Holaday at C, Corey Jones at 2B, Gustavo Nunez at SS and RHP Derek Hankins as the starting pitcher.

POST-GAME NOTES

• The move is not official yet, but the Mud Hens are going to activate IF Brandon Douglas Thursday when the team begins a series in Gwinnett. RHP Michael Morrison has been sent to Double-A Erie to make room for Douglas on the roster.

• RHP Al Alburquerque is expected to be available on Thursday. He had not thrown in a game since May 15, so the Hens wanted him to throw on the side before seeing game action.

• Losing today's game means the Mud Hens lost the series to Syracuse 3-1. Toledo now is 2-9-2 in its 13 series this season. ... As for the homestand, the Hens finished 4-4, which is the team's best homestand so far this season. Toledo was 4-5 in its April homestand and 3-5 in the homestand that started the month.

NINTH INNING

The Mud Hens make things interesting in the ninth, scoring twice on singles by Quintin Berry and Kevin Russo and a two-run double by Jordan Lennerton. Nick Castellanos also drew a walk, but Toledo couldn't push any more runs home. You'll hang this 7-5 loss on the bullpen, which gave up the lead with three runs in the eighth and then ruining a potential comeback with three runs in the ninth. Heading to the clubhouse ... I'll post a few notes when I return!

The Chiefs blow the game open with a three-run rally off Kenny Faulk and Brayan Villarreal. Faulk allowed Syracuse to load the bases on two walks and an infield single, and Villarreal did get one out -- on an infield grounder that scored a run -- and a two-run double off the wall in left by Jeff Kobernus. The Hens now trail 7-3 as they enter their last at-bats.

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a leadoff double by Jordan Lennerton -- who now is 3-for-3 with a double, two singles and a walk -- and a one-out walk to Danny Dorn along with a two-out walk by Bryan Holaday (in a 10-pitch at-bat), but Syracuse reliever Mike Crotta got a groundout by Argenis Diaz to escape a bases-loaded jam. We got to the ninth with Syracuse in the lead 4-3.

Evan Reed came on and walked the first batter he faced, Chris Rahl -- although, in fairness, his 2-2 pitch has been called a strike all day and wasn't in this situation. Then Reed found himself in a 3-2 count against Jeff Kobernus and the Chiefs sent the runner as Kobernus hit a grounder that Gustavo Nunez, who moved to second base, misplayed for an error that put runners on first and third. Rahl scored on a groundout by Will Rhymes, with Kobernus moving to second, and Kobernus took third on a Chris Marrero groundout. Then Kenny Faulk came out of the bullpen, and Corey Brown slammed a two-run homer to straight-away center. Suddenly Syracuse is back in front by a 4-3 score as the Hens come to bat in the bottom of the eighth.

SEVENTH INNING

Toledo gets a two-out walk to Quintin Berry, who stole second base but was stranded there when Kevin Russo struck out to end the inning. The Mud Hens lead 3-1 as we move to the eighth.

Mud Hens starter Derek Hankins pitches another strong inning, getting the Chiefs 1-2-3. Hankins has thrown 101 pitches, 62 for strikes. As the Hens come back to the dugout, Evan Reed continues to warm up, so I would assume Hankins' day is done. And it was a pretty good day: Hankins allowed just five hits and three walks while striking out five. Seventh-inning stretch, with Toledo still leading 3-1.

SIXTH INNING

The Mud Hens get on the board thanks to a BIG hit by Nick Castellanos. The rally began when Kevin Russo blooped a one-out single to center that knocked Syracuse starter Ryan Tatusko out of the game. Jordan Lennerton worked the new pitcher, Jeremy Accardo, for a walk, and Castellanos slammed the first pitch he saw from Accardo over the fence in right-center for his fifth home run of the season. Toledo now leads 3-1.

Toledo starter Derek Hankins got a little help from Bryan Holaday behind the plate to retire Syracuse. Hankins gave up a leadoff walk to Chris Marrero, who then was sacrificed to second. Then Holaday threw down to second and picked Marrero off. Terrific throw by Holaday to shut down the threat.

FIFTH INNING

Syracuse starter Ryan Tatusko mows down the Mud Hens again, getting two more strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning. Tatusko has nine strikeouts, almost double his season's high. The only good news: Tatusko is probably reaching the end of the pitching line, since he already has thrown 81 pitches. Before today, Tatusko's season high in pitches is 71 ... so we will see how much longer. It's still 1-0 Chiefs as we move to the sixth.

Toledo starter Derek Hankins found a spot of trouble by giving up a single to Brian Jeroloman and then throwing a wild pitch that moved Jeroloman to second base with two outs. Hankins walked Jeff Kobernus to put two runners on base, but Hankins was able to strike out Will Rhymes -- and that's not easy. Rhymes came into the game striking out once every 15.73 plate appearances, making him the second-toughest player to strike out in the International League. Chiefs still lead 1-0 as Toledo comes to bat in the bottom of the fifth.

FOURTH INNING

The red-hot Jordan Lennerton led off the inning with a single -- he now has both of Toledo's hits today -- but he never moved past first as Syracuse starter Ryan Tatusko then struck out the next three hitters. It's worth noting that, while Tatusko has seven strikeouts, four have been called third strikes -- let's call it an "inconsistent" strike zone by home plate umpire Andy Dudones. In the interest of full disclosure, Toledo starter Derek Hankins has four strikeouts, and two of them have been called, so it has gone both ways. As we move to the fifth, Syracuse leads 1-0.

Mud Hens starter Derek Hankins got the first two outs of the inning before issuing a walk to Mike Costanzo. But Hankins got a popout to end the inning. ... Think Little Leaguers are the only ones who lose track of how many outs there are? Costanzo stayed just a couple of steps away from first base when teammate Zach Walters hit that two-out popout. Even if the Hens would have dropped the ball, it would have been easy to throw Costanzo out at first.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens got a two-out walk from Quintin Berry, and Toledo manager Phil Nevin tried to make something happen by "sending" Berry on a 1-1 pitch to Kevin Russo. Russo nearly took advantage of the hit-and-run by hitting a grounder towards second, but Syracuse second baseman Will Rhymes was able to track the ball down and get the out at first. Still Syracuse 1, Mud Hens 0 as we move to the fourth.

The Chiefs get on the board with a run off Derek Hankins. Carlos Rivero led off with a double off the wall in left-center, and he came home on a double off the base of the wall in right-center by Brian Jeroloman. But Hankins kept Jeroloman at second base by getting three outs on the infield, including a strikeout. The Hens come to bat, trailing 1-0.

SECOND INNING

Syracuse starter Ryan Tatusko mowed down the Hens in 1-2-3 order in the bottom of the second. Because of the Chiefs' perilous pitching situation -- they are down two pitchers, see the pre-game notes below for details -- it is important that Tatusko has thrown just 31 pitches so far. That puts him in a good position to go a little deeper into this contest and save the Syracuse bullpen from extra work. We move to the third in a scoreless game.

Toledo starter Derek Hankins retired the Chiefs in 1-2-3 order in the second inning, and needed just 11 pitches to do it. He's at 32 pitches through two innings, which isn't a bad pace. ... A note courtesy of one of the Hens' official scorers, John Malkoski: This is the first game of this series where we had a scoreless contest moving into the second. In each of the previous three games, at least one team scored in the first inning.

FIRST INNING

Syracuse starter Ryan Tatusko struck out the first two Mud Hens he faced before Jordan Lennerton singled up the middle to extend his current hit streak to 11 games. That was it for the Hens in the first, though, so we move to the second in a scoreless game.

Mud Hens starter Derek Hankins gave up a leadoff single to Chris Rahl -- giving Rahl a 14-game hit streak -- but Toledo catcher Bryan Holaday threw Rahl out trying to steal. Holaday now has thrown out 14 of the 30 opponents who have tried to steal on him; 14 is tied for the most in the International League, and that 46.7 percent success rate for Holaday is the best in the IL. ... But Hankins then gave up a two-out single to Will Rhymes, and Rhymes stole second before Hankins struck out Chris Marrero to end the inning. Update on Holaday: 14 of 31 caught stealing, 45.2 percent.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• Let’s start with an update on the Mud Hens roster, which has added a pair of pitchers. One is RHP Al Alburquerque, who is with the team. Alburquerque was optioned to the Hens from Detroit on May 16 (Thursday). The other new pitcher is RHP Evan Reed, who was optioned to the Hens today as RHP Luke Putkonen was promoted to Detroit.

• Two changes by Syracuse, also involving pitchers. The Chiefs' parent club, Washington, called up today's scheduled starter, RHP Yunesky Maya, and also called up LHP Fernando Abad. Starting in place of Maya is RHP Ryan Tatusko, and the Chiefs will be pitching a "bullpen" contest, so the back end of the game could be crazy.

• The other move made by Syracuse is placing former Mud Hens and Tigers RHP Ryan Perry on the disabled list. Perry is a STARTER for the Chiefs, but he has a 1-4 record and 7.68 ERA in eight starts for Syracuse.

• Finally, here are some links from Monday's 10-inning loss to Syracuse. Click here to read the game story from Monday's game. Click here to read a notebook from Monday's game, which includes a look at starter Shawn Hill. Click here to read the in-game blog from Monday's game. And click here to view the photo gallery from Monday, with photos courtesy of The Blade's Dave Zapotosky.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 20

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Syracuse at Fifth Third Field on Monday, May 20. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Syracuse Chiefs (16-27) at Toledo Mud Hens (15-30)

First pitch: 10:30 a.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

SYRACUSE: Leading off and playing RF is Chris Rahl, followed by Jeff Kobernus at LF, Will Rhymes at 2B, Chris Marrero at 1B, Corey Brown in CF, Micah Owings at DH, Mike Costanzo at 3B, Brian Bocock at SS, Brian Jeroloman at C and RHP Chris Young as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing SS is Argenis Diaz, followed by Ramon Cabrera at C, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn at DH, Ben Guez in RF, Quintin Berry in CF, Kevin Russo at 3B, Corey Jones at 2B and RHP Shawn Hill as the starting pitcher.

TENTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a leadoff walk by Jordan Lennerton, but he never was able to move off second and Toledo falls to 1-7 in extra-inning games this season. Down to the clubhouse ... thanks for following along!

Mud Hens reliever Bruce Rondon gives up his first International League run of the season, and the prime cause was one of Rondon's spring training teammates. Jeff Kobernus drew an eight-pitch walk, then stole second and third base on the first two pitches to the next batter, Will Rhymes. With the infield in (Kobernus was on third base with no one out), Rondon got Rhymes to ground out, but Chris Marrero smoked a line drive down the right-field line that Ben Guez kept from becoming a double by making a fine diving catch. Still a sacrifice fly, and Toledo needs a run if it wants to retie a game that now is 4-3 Syracuse.

NINTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order ... so extra innings are on tap. Toledo is 1-6 in extra innings (.143 percentage, worst in the International League). Syracuse is 3-6 in extra innings, and that .333 percentage is the second-worst in the IL. And away we go ...

It could have been an easy inning for Mud Hens reliever Matt Hoffman, who gave up a one-out groundball to shortstop off the bat of Mike Constanzo that got past Argenis Diaz (bad hop? not sure) and ended up being a double. Hoffman also gave up a two-out walk but avoided further trouble. If Toledo wants to avoid extra innings, the Hens need to score a run in the bottom of the ninth ...

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a leadoff walk by Nick Castellanos, who was sacrificed to second by Danny Dorn. But a pair of flyouts sandwiched a walk to Quintin Berry to keep the score tied at 3-3. On to the ninth we go ...

Mud Hens reliever Jess Todd gets the first two outs in the inning before giving up a bloop single to right by Chris Marrero. So with two outs and a runner on first base, Matt Hoffman comes on to face left-handed hitting Chris Brown ... and struck him out on four pitches. Nice effort by Hoffman, and a solid effort by Todd as well. Mud Hens need a run, as the score remains tied 3-3.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order in the seventh ... Jordan Lennerton's long fly to left didn't have the distance for a home run. We'll move to the eighth in a 3-3 tie.

The Mud Hens call on Jess Todd in the seventh, and he dominated the Chiefs in a 1-2-3 inning. Todd threw seven of his 10 pitches for strikes, and he struck out two and Syracuse really had poor swings against his slider. We move to the seventh-inning stretch with the game still tied 3-3.

SIXTH INNING

Syracuse brings in Tanner Roark to pitch to the Hens, and Roark walks Ben Guez to lead off the inning. But Roark gets the next three outs -- although Quintin Berry hit a fly ball to DEEP center -- and we move to the seventh in a 3-3 game.

Another good inning of work by Shawn Hill, who retired the Chiefs in 1-2-3 order for the second inning in a row. Good effort by Hill after struggling through a 29-pitch first inning; he covers six innings and gives up just three runs to keep the Hens in the contest. Hill has thrown 102 pitches, though, so his day probably is over.

FIFTH INNING

Toledo finally gets to Syracuse starter Chris Young, tying the game with a three-spot that took advantage of a Chiefs error to get the rally started. Quintin Berry reached second base on an error by Syracuse first baseman Chris Marrero, and the Hens collected three doubles to tie the game. A nice at-bat by Argenis Diaz, who fell behind 0-2 and fouled off four pitches before doubling into the left-field corner. Kevin Russo and Jordan Lennerton also doubled, and a nifty walk by Ramon Cabrera (got ahead 2-0, worked Young for seven pitches to draw the walk) helped keep the inning moving. As we move to the sixth, we've got a brand-new game because of a 3-3 tie.

A good inning for Shawn Hill, who used just 12 pitches to retire the Chiefs in 1-2-3 order. But Hill probably won't be going a whole lot longer, since he's at 90 pitches (54 strikes) through five innings. But Hill has rebounded nicely from a rocky start to keep the Hens in the contest. Syracuse leads 3-0.

FOURTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order by Chris Young, who needed just eight pitches despite getting two strikeouts. At this point, Young has thrown 56 pitches, 35 for strikes, so he is on a good pace to pitch deep into the game. We move to the fifth inning with Syracuse leading 3-0.

The Chiefs add a run in the fourth off Shawn Hill, who gave up a double to Mike Costanzo and a two-out RBI single to Brian Jeroloman. Hill has thrown 78 pitches through four innings, which obviously is a lot. Syracuse now leads 3-0.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens got a one-0ut single by Corey Jones and a walk to Argenis Diaz, but Young got the next two outs to keep Toledo scoreless. It has been amazing to watch 6-10 Syracuse starter Chris Young pitch. At 6-10, you would imagine Young throws pretty hard, right? You would be wrong. The fastest pitch Young has thrown so far has traveled at just 84 mph. Toledo starter Shawn Hill threw 21 pitches that were faster than that -- in the first inning. Still, the Hens are scoreless against Young as we move to the fourth.

Toledo's Shawn Hill got two quick outs before giving up a single to Corey Brown. But Hens catcher Ramon Cabrera threw out Brown trying to steal second to end the inning. That was the second potential base-stealer Cabrera has thrown out in eight attempts while in Toledo. The International League leader? The Hens' Bryan Holaday, who has thrown out 13 of 29 he has faced (44.8 percent).

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens got a one-out single by Ben Guez, but Quintin Berry erased him with a double play. The Chiefs will take a 2-0 lead into the third.

Toledo starter Shawn Hill gave up a leadoff double to Brian Bocock, but pitched around it. Still 2-0 Syracuse as we move to the bottom of the second.

FIRST INNING

The Mud Hens got a one-out double from Ramon Cabrera, but that was it. Chiefs lead 2-0 as we move to the second.

Mud Hens starter Shawn Hill struggled in the first inning in his second straight morning game, although this time he gave up just two runs (he gave up five in the first to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday). Hill seemed poised to pitch around a leadoff single to Chris Rahl, who quickly stole second and moved to third on a groundout. But back-to-back two-out walks loaded the bases, and Micah Owings lined a two-run double to left. Syracuse leads 2-0 as the Hens come to bat for the first time.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• There aren't a lot of notes that come before a 10:30 a.m. start, but here is an update on the Mud Hens RHP Al Alburquerque. The Mud Hens expect him to join the team today ... but as I type this he has not arrived in the Toledo clubhouse. I will check again and update as soon as I know something new.
  

• The Mud Hens have made some decisions about the rotation for the next few days. Tuesday's finale with Tuesday will feature RHP Derek Hankins, followed by Wednesday's off day. On Thursday. when the Hens begin a series in Gwinnett, LHP Ramon Garcia will start, followed by LHP Jose Alvarez on Friday and Shawn Hill on Saturday. With the off day, Toledo is able to skip the spot that RHP Luke Putkonen filled for Casey Crosby. Garcia and the other starters will start on normal rest.

• Finally, here are a few links from Sunday’s game. Click here to read the game story. Click here to read the in-game blog.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 19

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Syracuse at Fifth Third Field on Sunday, May 19. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Syracuse Chiefs (16-26) at Toledo Mud Hens (14-30)

First pitch: 2 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

STARTING LINEUPS

SYRACUSE: Leading off and playing RF is Chris Rahl, followed by Jeff Kobernus at 2B, Corey Brown in CF, Chris Marrero at 1B, Micah Owings in LF, Zach Walters at SS, Carlos Rivero at 3B, Mike Costanzo at DH, Kris Watts at C and RHP Ross Ohlendorf as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing SS is Argenis Diaz, followed by Ramon Cabrera at DH, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn in RF, Bryan Holaday in C, Quintin Berry in CF, Kevin Russo at 3B, Corey Jones at 2B and LHP Jose Alvarez as the starting pitcher.

NINTH INNING

Bruce Rondon mows down the Chiefs in the ninth to close out the Hens' 4-3 win. Rondon threw seven pitches, all for strikes, for his ninth save. Rondon struck out two and got Will Rhymes to line out to end the game. Rondon's fastball sat at 96-99 mph; he threw a filthy change-up at 89 for a swing-and-miss, then threw two sliders at 82-83 mph (one was a swing-and-miss, the other was Rhymes' lineout). Thanks for following along!

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order in the eighth. It's Bruce Rondon time as we head to the ninth ... and former Hen/Tiger Will Rhymes entered the game as a defensive sub -- and will bat third in the ninth. Hang onto your hats ...

Brayan Villarreal retired the Chiefs in order in the inning, collecting a strikeout along the way. Villarreal threw the ball pretty well, throwing eight of his 12 pitches for strikes. Of those 12 pitches, 10 were fastballs (seven of which were strikes) that sat in the 94 mph range until he got rolling and upped the velocity to 96-98. Fastball command was better today, and so was the result for Villarreal.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens got a pair of runners on base thanks to singles by Jordan Lennerton and Danny Dorn, but a pair of flyouts to center kept Toledo from scoring. The Hens still lead 4-3 as we move to the eighth.

For the fifth consecutive half inning we have a run scored, and obviously that's not good for the Hens. Toledo starter Jose Alvarez gave up a one-out home run to Mike Costanzo -- a well-struck ball to right -- but did get two outs before Brayan Villarreal came out of the bullpen and got the final out. The Mud Hens still lead, but it's a 4-3 advantage as we move to the seventh-inning stretch.

SIXTH INNING

The Mud Hens get the run back in the bottom of the sixth, and Kevin Russo had a terrific at-bat that played a big role in the rally. Bryan Holaday singled to lead off, and one out later Russo fell behind 1-2. Russo then fouled off five two-strike pitches -- and took a pair of pitches for balls -- before lining a single to right that sent Holaday, who was running on the pitch, to third. Toledo's Corey Jones greeted new pitcher Fernando Abad with an RBI single. The Hens lead 4-2 as we move to the seventh.

The Chiefs get one of those runs back off Jose Alvarez, who with two outs gave up a double to Chris Marrero and an RBI single by Micah Owings. But Alvarez got the third out to make sure the Hens stayed in front, although the lead is cut to 3-2. One warning to sound: Alvarez has thrown 94 pitches through six, so he may go a little longer -- but not a lot longer.

FIFTH INNING

Simply put, the at-bat of the season for the Mud Hens' Jordan Lennerton. Here's the situation: Argenis Diaz led off with a single and was still at first when Lennerton came to the plate with one out. Here was the pitch sequence: called strike, ball, ball, foul, foul, foul, foul, ball (3-2 count), foul, foul, foul (runner going), HOME RUN to straight-away center. Just a terrific at-bat by Lennerton. Mud Hens lead 3-1 as we move to the sixth.

The Chiefs finally nick Toledo starter Jose Alvarez for a run, and Alvarez nearly escaped unscathed after giving up a LONG leadoff double to Micah Owings. Alvarez gave up a one-out infield single that sent Owings to third, then got a second out and two strikes on Kris Watts, who blooped a single to center to score Owings. Alvarez now has thrown 72 pitches through five innings, and the game is tied 1-1.

FOURTH INNING

Bryan Holaday leads off the inning with a single, but he never advances past first as the next three batters are retired. The final out came on a nifty leaping play by Jeff Kobernus at second base. Toledo's Corey Jones hit a grounder up the middle that Kobernus gloved and threw to first in a play reminiscent of Derek Jeter throwing out a batter on a grounder in the hole at shortstop. Hens still lead 1-0 as we move to the fifth.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Jose Alvarez, who has retired 12 Chiefs in a row. Alvarez has thrown 51 pitches through four innings and the shutout remains intact.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens again fail to take advantage of a scoring opportunity as Argenis Diaz doubled to lead off the inning, then moved to third on a groundout -- and was stranded at third. Jordan Lennerton walked, but Nick Castellanos popped out and Danny Dorn struck out. Toledo still leads 1-0 as we move to the fourth.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Jose Alvarez, with an assist to Kevin Russo at third base. The leadoff hitter this inning, Mike Costanzo, hit a soft liner to shallow left, but Russo made a fine over-the-shoulder catch to record the out.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens got a two-out single by Kevin Russo, but that was it. Toledo leads Syracuse 1-0 as we move to the third.

The Hens' Jose Alvarez retired the Chiefs in 1-2-3 order, and needed just 13 pitches to do it. Nice inning for Alvarez.

FIRST INNING

The Mud Hens get on the board first when Jordan Lennerton slammed his sixth home run of the season off the base of the scoreboard in left. Nick Castellanos also singled sharply, but that was it for the Hens, who lead 1-0 as we move to the second.

Mud Hens started Jose Alvarez gave up an infield single to Chris Rahl to open the game, but Alvarez pitched around that single. Alvarez threw just 13 pitches, 10 of which were strikes. The Hens are hoping Alvarez can cover a number of innings to allow the bullpen to get a day of rest.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• Toledo still is a pitcher short on its staff because LHP Al Alburquerque still has not arrived at Fifth Third Field. Alburquerque was optioned to the Hens on May 16, and it has been 72 hours since his demotion -- normally players are required to report in 72 hours. Mud Hens manager said he did not know when Alburquerque would join the Hens.

• The Mud Hens still have not determined who will start when the team begins its next road trip Thursday at Gwinnett. The Hens could skip the position that Luke Putkonen filled on Friday and keep the other four members of the rotation in line, or they could move Putkonen back to the bullpen and keep the rest of the rotation in line.

• Finally, here are a few links from Saturday’s game. Click here to read the game story. And click here to view Katie Rausch’s photo gallery from the game.

Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 17

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Fifth Third Field on Friday, May 17. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (20-19)
at Toledo Mud Hens (14-28)

First pitch: 7 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

TENTH INNING

The Mud Hens had a chance in the bottom of the tenth, as Bryan Holaday and Kevin Russo opened the inning with singles and a sacrifice, but a strikeout and a groundout left Toledo a run short. Heading to the clubhouse ... thanks for following along!

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre takes advantage of a poorly timed Toledo error to take the lead in the top of the tenth inning. With two outs and a runner on first base, Zoilo Almonte hit a grounder to Danny Dorn at first base. But the ball got through Dorn for an error that kept the inning alive, and Ronnier Mustelier made the Hens pay for the mistake with an RBI single. The Mud Hens need a run in the bottom of the tenth to stay alive as they now trail 4-3.

NINTH INNING

After two quick outs the Mud Hens got back-to-back walks to Jordan Lennerton and Nick Castellanos, but former Hen Clay Rapada came on and got Danny Dorn to fly out. Extra innings on tap at Fifth Third Field ... Toledo and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied at 3-3 as we move to the tenth.

Jess Todd gets the job done in the top of the ninth, striking out the first two hitters and getting a groundout. The Hens come to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with a chance to win ... and it's important they get the job done, because the Toledo bullpen really isn't in great shape, and extra innings would be a burden. Top of the order coming up for the Hens ...

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order in the eighth, with two strikeouts. Only good news: Top of the order will lead off the ninth. For now the RailRiders will bat against reliever Jess Todd in a 3-3 contest.

Toledo's Matt Hoffman gave up a two-out single to Ronnier Mustelier, but avoided further trouble to keep the game tied at 3-3. The third out was a little tricky, because it was a come-backer to the mound that Hoffman blocked, chased down, then seemed to trip as he threw to first. But he seemed fine as he left the field.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens get a two-out opposite-field home run by Jordan Lennerton, his fifth home run of the season, off Scranton/Wilkes-Barre reliever Sam Demel, to tie the game at 3-3. Well-struck ball by Lennerton -- to the opposite field, which is his style. Nick Castellanos drew a walk -- which should be his third of the game, but now I'm just sounding bitter -- and Danny Dorn singled him to second, but Bryan Holaday flew out to right to end the inning. The game is tied as we move to the eighth.

Matt Hoffman gives up a one-out walk -- Hoffman's third walk in five batters faced -- but then got a double play to end the inning. How unusual is Hoffman's three walks? In his previous 14 games he allowed just four walks in 10.2 innings, never more than one in any of those 14 appearances. We hit the seventh-inning stretch with Toledo trailing the RailRiders 3-2.

SIXTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order in the sixth ... and it look as if they may wish they would have taken greater advantage of earlier opportunities. Toledo stranded seven runners in the first four innings -- and five of those seven were in scoring position at the time. We move to the seventh with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre leading 3-2.

Long half-inning for Mud Hens pitchers as Michael Morrison gives up a walk, a single, and a two-run double by Ronnier Mustelier before he was relieved by Matt Hoffman. Hoffman struggled with his command -- and, truth be told, with home-plate ump Andy Dudones -- to walk the first two batters he faced to load the bases before striking out Melky Mesa to leave them loaded. But Scranton/Wilkes-Barre now leads 3-2.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens are retired in 1-2-3 order, but this one comes with asterisk: Nick Castellanos was called out on strikes on a simply dreadful third strike. The pitch was low, and should have been ball four. Castellanos took two steps to first, then stopped and put his hands on his helmet before eventually moving back to the dugout. Only one person in the ballpark thought the pitch was a strike: home-plate ump Andy Dudones, who has struggled with the strike zone at times tonight. We move to the sixth with the Hens still leading 2-1.

Luke Putkonen is given the opportunity to get through the fifth -- and earn a win -- but gives up a leadoff single to Dan Johnson and then walks Josh Bell. Newcomer Michael Morrison comes on to replace Putkonen ... two on, no one out, here in the fifth. ... Morrison blunts the rally by getting Melky Mesa to hit into a double play, but Morrison then threw a wild pitch that allowed Johnson to score from third. Hens lead is cut to 2-1 as they come to bat.

FOURTH INNING

The Mud Hens get another run with a two-out rally. It started when Quintin Berry was hit by a pitch, Corey Jones singled Berry to third, and Argenis Diaz singled Berry home. Ramon Cabrera drew a walk to load the bases, but Jordan Lennerton hit a rainmaker to end the inning. Toledo now leads 2-0 as we move to the fifth.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Luke Putkonen, who needed just nine pitches -- seven of which were strikes -- to get through the inning. Putkonen has thrown 53 pitches, 35 of which were strikes. Terrific effort for Putkonen ... I would guess Putkonen's day is done, but he certainly has done his job.

THIRD INNING

Toledo threatened but did not score in the third off the RailRiders starter Graham Stoneburner. With one out Ramon Cabrera doubled into the right-field corner, and with two outs Nick Castellanos drew a walk, but Danny Dorn grounded out to end the threat. The Hens still lead 1-0 as we move to the fourth.

Mud Hens starter Luke Putkonen finally gave up a baserunner on a one-out walk to Jeff Farnham, but Farnham never left second base. Putkonen threw 19 pitches that inning and has thrown 44 pitches through three innings. I would expect Putkonen won't be going much further ... but good work so far.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens break through for a run against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Graham Stoneburner, who gave up a one-out double to Bryan Holaday -- who moved to third when the throw to second base was wild -- and an RBI double to Kevin Russo. Toledo leads 1-0 as we move to the third.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Luke Putkonen, who threw 12 pitches and collected a second strikeout. Putkonen has two strikeouts, two groundouts and two flyouts and has throw 25 pitches so far.

FIRST INNING

The Mud Hens get a two-out walk from Jordan Lennerton, but that is all in the bottom of the first. No score as we move to the second.

So far, so good for Mud Hens starter Luke Putkonen, who retired the RailRiders in 1-2-3 order ... and needed just 13 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, to get the job done. Putkonen notched a strikeout and two weak-contact swings.

STARTING LINEUPS

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE: Leading off and playing 2B is Corban Joseph, followed by Brennan Boesch in RF, Zoilo Almonte in LF, Ronnier Mustelier at 3B, Dan Johnson at 1B, Josh Bell at DH, Melky Mesa in CF, Jeff Farnham at C, Addison Maruszak at SS and RHP Graham Stoneburner as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing SS is Argenis Diaz, followed by Ramon Cabrera at DH, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn in RF, Bryan Holaday in C, Kevin Russo at 3B, Brad Davis at C, Gustavo Nunez at 2B and RHP Derek Hankins as the starting pitcher.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• Let’s start with an update on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre roster, which has added another player: Josh Bell has joined the RailRiders and is starting at DH. Bell came to the RailRiders from Charlotte, and he had success against the Hens: in four games he batted .444 with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored.

• The Mud Hens made a pair of roster move Thursday, putting IF Brandon Douglas and LHP Casey Crosby on the disabled list. Douglas has a shin contusion and Crosby is experiencing shoulder soreness. Toledo manager Phil Nevin said, "I don't think [Crosby's] injury is anything serious. It has felt better the last couple of days."

• Toledo promoted a pair of players from Double-A Erie to fill out the roster for tonight’s game. IF Corey Jones and RHP Michael Morrison are with the Mud Hens – and the chances are good we’ll see both play today. Jones is starting at second base for the Hens, while Morrison may see action in relief (more on that later). Jones played in 14 games for Double-A Erie and hit .200 with no home runs but five RBIs, seeing action primarily at second base but also at shortstop. Morrison was 2-1 with a 5.28 ERA in 11 relief appearances with the SeaWolves, giving up 20 hits and 11 walks in 15.1 innings while striking out 13.

• With Crosby going to the disabled list the Mud Hens have made a change to the rotation. Today RHP Luke Putkonen will take Crosby’s scheduled start; Putkonen has not thrown more than three innings in a game this season. I would expect the Hens are hoping for four innings at the most, and the bullpen will have to pick up the rest.

• An interesting decision looms with the rotation ... The Mud Hens can "skip" Crosby's spot in the rotation because in five days (Wednesday, May 22) the Hens have an "off" day. Nevin said no decision has been made as to whether that spot will be skipped or if Toledo will get another starter and push the rest of the rotation back a day. GUESS ALERT: I have no insider knowledge, but I would guess that the Hens will skip that spot if Crosby is close to returning, then plug him back into the rotation in five days. If Crosby will be out for a longer period, another starter probably will be plugged into the rotation.

• Finally, here are a few links from Thursday’s game. Click here to read the game story. Click here to read the in-game blog. Click here to read a post-game blog that looks at the play of several Mud Hens (including Brayan Villarreal, Bruce Rondon, Nick Castellanos and several others). And click here to view Amy Voigt’s photo gallery from the game.

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Mud Hens in-game blog -- May 16

Here is pre-game and in-game information from the Mud Hens' game vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Fifth Third Field on Thursday, May 16. Make sure to press “refresh” for updates throughout the contest.

GAME INFORMATION

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (20-18)
at Toledo Mud Hens (13-28)

First pitch: 6:30 p.m.

Television: BCSN. 

Radio: 1230 AM, WCWA. Click here to listen on the Internet.

Gameday: Click here to follow the contest pitch-by-pitch.

NINTH INNING

Bruce Rondon hit the first batter he faced, but he got the next three out to nail down his eighth save. Rondon threw 11 pitches, eight strikes. He threw one fastball at 100

EIGHTH INNING

The Mud Hens get a two-out double by Kevin Russo, but that is it. Bruce Rondon comes on in the ninth in an attempt to nail down a 4-1 victory.

Brayan Villarreal returns for a second inning of work and gives up a leadoff single to Dan Johnson, a good 4-A hitter who worked a 3-2 count and lined the eighth pitch of the at-bat to right for a solid hit. Then Villarreal gave up a five-pitch walk to Thomas Neal to put the first two runners on base. Then Villarreal got a huge break when Melky Mesa hit a grounder right to third baseman Kevin Russo, who stepped on third and then threw to second base with a 5-4 double play that left a runner on first base. Then another walk for Villarreal before a flyout ends the inning. Entertaining, to say the least. Interesting, absolutely. Major-league ready? Ah, no.

SEVENTH INNING

The Mud Hens get that run back in the seventh, thanks in part of a nifty two-out at-bat by Jordan Lennerton. With two outs and runners on first and second, Lennerton fell behind 1-2, but managed to work the count full so the runners would be going on the pitch. Then he went with an outside pitch and grounded the ball through the hole at shortstop that scored the run. We move to the eighth and Toledo leads 4-1.

QUICK SCOUT ON VILLARREAL: Brayan Villarreal threw 10 pitches, five for strikes. Every pitch he threw was the fastball, which sat at 96-98 mph (two at 96, five at 97, three at 98). No breaking pitches.

The shutout by Derek Hankins ended on the first pitch of this inning, as Melky Mesa lined a home run just over the fence in left field. Hankins then gave up a couple of singles and a flyout to put runners on first and second with one out ... and Brennan Boesch coming up to face a new pitcher, Brayan Villarreal. Villarreal struck out Boesch, then walked Zoilo Almonte on four pitches to load the bases, then got a good defensive play by shortstop Argenis Diaz to get the final out. Toledo's lead over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is now 3-1 as we hit the seventh-inning stretch.

SIXTH INNING

Toledo is retired quickly by Chien-Ming Wang, who needed just nine pitches in a 1-2-3 frame. Still Mud Hens 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 0 as we move to the seventh.

Hens starter Derek Hankins got two outs before finding a little trouble as Ronnier Mustelier singled and Dan Johnson drew a walk. But Hankins got Thomas Neal to fly out to end the threat. For those wondering, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Brennan Boesch is 0-for-3 with a foul out on the infield, a groundout and an infield popout.

FIFTH INNING

The Mud Hens add another run, and again see a chance for a bigger inning wasted. With one out, a walk to Argenis Diaz, a single by Ramon Cabrera and an RBI single by Jordan Lennerton brought home the run. With runners on first and second, Chien-Ming Wang bounced a pitch up to the plate and the runners tried to advance, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre catcher Jeff Farnham threw to second to catch the trail runner, Lennerton. Nick Castellanos grounded out to end the inning. Toledo leads 3-0 as we move to the sixth.

In game full of fast half-innings, Derek Hankins just posted the fastest so far. Hankins needed just six pitches to record a 1-2-3 inning. Hankins is at just 50 pitches through five innings, which is a fantastic pace -- if he keeps it going, which would be hard, he could easily throw a complete game. But that's down the road ... Hens come to bat, leading 2-0.

FOURTH INNING

A 1-2-3 inning for the RailRiders' Chien-Ming Wang, his first of the game. And he needed just 12 pitches to do it. Hens do have seven hits off Wang through four innings and lead Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 2-0 as we move to the fifth.

Another quick inning for Toledo's Derek Hankins, who needed just eight pitches to retire Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Hankins did give out a two-out double to Dan Johnson and then hit Thomas Neal with a pitch but got a popout to avoid trouble.

THIRD INNING

The Mud Hens scored a run in the third, but it could have been more except for a nifty double play by the RailRiders that ended the inning. Back-to-back leadoff doubles by Argenis Diaz and Ramon Cabrera scored one run, and a one-out single by Nick Castellanos -- off pitcher Chien-Ming Wang -- put runners on first and third with only one out. Danny Dorn hit a grounder to first base that Dan Johnson caught, touched first, then threw to the plate to cut down Cabrera. Toledo leads 2-0 as we move to the fourth.

A good inning for the Mud Hens' Derek Hankins, who retired the RailRiders 1-2-3 and needed only eight pitches to do it. Hankins is at only 36 pitches through three inning, which is a terrific pace.

SECOND INNING

The Mud Hens break through for a run off Chien-Ming Wong as Ben Guez singled, took second on a wild pitch, took third on a single by Kevin Russo, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brad Davis. Toledo leads 1-0 as we move to third.

The RailRiders get runners on first and third after a single and an error. But Derek Hankins struck out both Melky Mesa and Jeff Farnham to keep the game scoreless. Hankins still has thrown 28 pitches through two innings, which isn't a bad pace. NOTE: Farnham is the starting catcher for the RailRiders, not Bobby Wilson as was posted on the original lineup. Wilson was a late scratch -- no reason was given.

FIRST INNING

The Hens got hits by Argenis Diaz and Nick Castellanos -- Castellanos lined a single to center -- but no runs. Toledo was aggressive at the plate, with the last three hitters swinging at the second pitch. We are scoreless as we move to the second inning.

Mud Hens starter Derek Hankins retired the RailRiders 1-2-3 in the first inning. Brennan Boesch got ahead of Hankins 2-0 but lifted a foul popout caught by Hens third baseman Kevin Russo. It took Hankins just nine pitches to retire Scranton/Wilkes-Barre -- good start for him.

STARTING LINEUPS

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE: Leading off and playing 2B is Corban Joseph, followed by Brennan Boesch in RF, Zoilo Almonte in LF, Ronnier Mustelier at 3B, Dan Johnson at 1B, Thomas Neal at DH, Melky Mesa in CF, Bobby Wilson at C, Reegie Corona at SS and RHP Chien-Ming Wang as the starting pitcher.

MUD HENS: Leading off and playing SS is Argenis Diaz, followed by Ramon Cabrera at DH, Jordan Lennerton at 1B, Nick Castellanos in LF, Danny Dorn in RF, Ben Guez in CF, Kevin Russo at 3B, Brad Davis at C, Gustavo Nunez at 2B and RHP Derek Hankins as the starting pitcher.

PRE-GAME NOTES

• Let’s start with an update on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre roster, which has another familiar face: OF Brennan Boesch has joined the RailRiders and is starting in right.

• The Tigers made a move late Wednesday, calling up RHP Evan Reed to Detroit while optioning RHP Al Alburquerque to the Mud Hens. Reed is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 14 appearances, allowing 18 hits and seven walks in 21 innings while fanning 28. After an implosion against Charlotte May 3, Reed has thrown 6.1 scoreless innings in his last three appearances, giving up three hits and two walks while collecting eight strikeouts.

• Alburquerque comes to Toledo with an 0-1 record and 3.14 ERA in 15 games with the Tigers. He allowed 13 hits and 13 walks (along with six wild pitches) in 14.1 innings, although he did have 26 strikeouts. Alburquerque gave up runs in each of his last three appearances, surrendering six hits and three walks that resulted in three runs in 2.1 innings.

• You will notice that Quintin Berry is in the starting lineup. Manager Phil Nevin said Berry is not injured, and since Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Chien-Ming Wang is a right-hander, this isn’t a righty-lefty matchup. Berry has struggled at the plate all season, hitting .206 in 25 April games before struggling even more in May, hitting .133 in 10 contests this month. The one good thing Berry is doing is drawing walks; he has eight walks this month and has 17 in 35 games, helping him overcoming a .189 season’s batting average to post a .293 on-base percentage.

• Finally, here are a few links from Wednesday’s game. Click here to read the game story. Click here to read the in-game blog. Click here to view Dave Zapotosky’s photo gallery from the game.

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