Lehigh Valley’s Martin stymies Mud Hens’ bats

6/30/2013

BLADE STAFF

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Right-hander Ethan Martin produced his longest outing since 2010 as he and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs shut out the Toledo Mud Hens 5-0 today.

Martin (9-3) shut down the Mud Hens lineup for eight frames, allowing just two hits and walking three while striking out a pair.

The righty, who pitched eight innings for just the third time in his career, was aided by his defense, which turned three straight inning-ending double plays from the second through the fourth innings.

The IronPigs got on the board in the third inning when Michael Martinez singled in a run. They scored again in the fifth when Cesar Hernandez scored on a Darin Ruf ground-rule double to stretch the lead to two.

Lehigh Valley exploded for three runs in the sixth to take a commanding 5-0 lead. Martinez led off the rally with another RBI single, and Freddy Galvis and Hernandez each racked up an RBI off Hill in the inning.

Toledo (34-51) put one runner aboard in the ninth against Luis Garcia, but the right-handed reliever stranded the rehabbing Alex Avila to notch the IronPigs third win in their last four games.

Shawn Hill (1-11) took the loss for Toledo, allowing five runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.