Indy pounds Hens
7/24/2001INDIANAPOLIS - The 7-1 pounding absorbed by the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday night in Indianapolis could have been expected after a quick turnaround, a tough travel day and no opportunity for batting practice.
Last night in the second game of a long road trip, the Hens had no such excuses in suffering a 15-6 loss to the Indians.
Toledo gave up season highs in runs and hits (22).
“(They (the Indians) were just hitting the ball,” said Hens manager Bruce Fields. “Maroth got a couple of pitches up early, and it just snowballed after that.”
The Indians pummeled Toledo starter Mike Maroth with fifteen hits and eight runs over 41/3 innings to pin him with his ninth loss against seven victories.
The Toledo bullpen fared no better, yielding another seven runs on seven hits.
“Our pitchers were out there battling,” said catcher David Lindstrom. “but if they did make a mistake, it didn't get fouled off, it didn't get popped up, it just got hit. When they did make good pitches, the hitters were getting enough of it to get a hit.
“Nothing went right for us tonight.”
The Indians started each of the first three innings with three base hits. In the third, Indianapolis sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring six runs on four doubles, two singles and an error.
The Toledo offense was better, managing six runs on 10 hits, but couldn't overcome the hole dug by the pitching staff. Three of the runs came well after the outcome was decided.
Indianapolis reliever Rocky Coppinger made a spot start due to player moves and held the Hens to four hits over five innings.
Toledo got a run in the fourth on successive singles by Kurt Bierek, Brian Rios and Chris Wakeland.
After Coppinger left, things got a little better for the Hens. Lyle Mouton singled in the sixth with one out and scored on a towering home run to right field by Bierek.
The Hens picked up another run in the eighth on a walk and a double.
Indianapolis piled on three more runs in the sixth and two each in the seventh and eighth. Micah Franklin pushed two across with his 13th homer of the season.
Toledo added their final runs in the ninth on a double and two singles.
“That's one thing about baseball,” Lindstrom said. “We don't have to sit around and wait for another week like football. We gotta come back tomorrow and there's no time to mull it over.”
The Hens road trip continues with a 7 p.m. game tonight at Syracuse. The projected starters are Nate Cornejo (1-0, 2.25 ERA) for Toledo and Willie Banks (7-4, 3.38) for the Sky Chiefs.
DUBLIN, Ohio - Toledo outfielder Chris Wakeland and Buffalo pitcher Tim Drew are the International League players of the week, the league announced yesterday.
Wakeland hit .481 with four home runs and nine RBIs. Wakeland homered twice last Tuesday in the Mud Hens' 6-5 victory in 13 innings against Durham. Wakeland leads Toledo in games played, home runs, runs, hits, total bases and RBIs.