Pitchers’ duel ends in Toledo loss

Indianapolis prevails in 10th inning

8/3/2014

INDIANAPOLIS — Mel Rojas doubled home Dean Anna in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Indianapolis a 4-3 victory over the Mud Hens.

The Indians game-winning rally in the tenth began when Toledo reliever Justin Miller walked leadoff batter Chris McGuiness. Anna pinch-ran and stole second to set the stage for Rojas, who stroked the game-winning hit down the left-field line.

The game began as a pitchers duel between Toledo’s Kyle Ryan, making his first Triple-A start, and the Indians’ Rafael Perez.

Indianapolis finally broke through with a run in the sixth, but the Mud Hens scored twice in the top of the eighth thanks in part to an error, one of three the Indians made in the contest.

Brandon Douglas raced to second when Jose Tabata misplayed his blooper down the right-field line.

He took third on a sacrifice by Jordan Lennerton, then scored when Hessman singled on a bloop over the head of the drawn-in infield.

With two outs a walk to Ben Guez pushed Hessman to second, and he came home on a single by Manny Pina.

Toledo reliever Evan Reed gave up a single and back-to-back doubles as Indianapolis retook the lead 3-2 heading into the ninth.

Indians reliever Andy Oliver, a former Mud Hen, failed to close out the save, though. He walked Wade Gaynor, who moved to second on a sacrifice by Hernan Perez before Oliver hit Douglas with a pitch.

Lennerton’s double to deep right scored Gaynor with the tying run, but Douglas was thrown out at the plate and Lennerton was stranded at third when Hessman flew out.