Mud Hens lose to Bisons despite rally in 9th

7/20/2012

BUFFALO -- The Toledo Mud Hens scored four runs in the top of the ninth, only to give up two in the bottom of the frame and suffer a 9-8 loss to Buffalo on Thursday.

The Mud Hens overcame a three-run, ninth-inning deficit when Justin Henry singled off Francisco Cabrera, who then walked Ben Guez and John Lindsey to load the bases. Danny Dorn promptly unloaded them with a grand slam that gave the Hens an 8-7 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Toledo's Chris Bootcheck gave up a double to Brad Emaus, a single to Adam Loewen and a walk to Zach Lutz to load the bases with none out.

Bootcheck struck out Josh Satin, but Raul Reyes blooped a single behind third that scored the game-winning runs.

The Bisons led most of the contest, breaking on top with a run in the third off Hens starter Casey Crosby as Lucas May tripled to center, then scored on a single by Fred Lewis.

Toledo took a brief lead wit a pair of runs in the fourth off Bisons starter Chris Schwinden. Guez got the rally started by singling, moving to second on a wild pitch, and scoring on a double off the right-field wall by Dorn.

Dorn took third on another wild pitch by Schwinden, and came home on a bloop single by Jerad Head.

In the bottom of the fourth Buffalo responded with four runs to retake the lead. Crosby issued back-to-back, one-out walks to Satin and Valentino Pascucci to get the rally rolling. Josh Rodriguez singled to score Satin, and Matt Den Dekker tripled to bring home two more runs.

Lucas May brought Den Dekker home with an RBI single.

The Hens began to claw their way back into the game with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth Justin Henry led off with a single, and with two outs Lindsey hit a grounder to third; Lutz threw wildly to first, and Henry circled the bases to score on the error.

In the sixth Head greeted Buffalo reliever Elvin Ramirez by laying down a bunt single, and Head moved to second on a single by Rob Brantly.

Bryan Pounds sacrificed the runners up a base, and Head scored on a groundout by Jamie Johnson.

The Mud Hens nearly tied the game in the eighth, but Brantly was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the eighth the Bisons added two runs off the Toledo bullpen. Jose Ortega gave up singles to Satin and Pascucci before Oswaldo Navarro doubled both runners home.

The Mud Hens return to Fifth Third Field today to begin a brief four-game homestand against Indianapolis, with first pitch set for 7 p.m.