5 Mud Hens pitchers combine to shut out Indianapolis Monday

6/11/2018
BY JOHN WAGNER
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
  • SPT-Hens9p-35

    Mud Hens reliever Victor Alcantara throws a pitch earlier this season. He and four other Toledo pitchers combined to shut out Indianapolis Monday.

    BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH

  • Five pitchers combined for a three-hit shutout as the Toledo Mud Hens knocked off the Indianapolis Indians 4-0 at Victory Field on Monday. Justin Turner, Phillippe Aumont, Victor Alcantara, Zac Houston, and Johnny Barbato struck out 14 Indians and allowed just two runners past second base in the Hens’ seventh shutout win this season.

    What happened: The Mud Hens jumped in front with a first-inning run, as Ronny Rodriguez led off the game with a triple, then scored on an infield single by Jim Adduci.

    Toledo doubled its lead with a run in the third thanks to an RBI single by Dawel Lugo, then doubled it again with a two-run sixth that saw the runs score on a groundout and a balk.

    Game MVP: Spread the honors around the Toledo pitching staff. Turner, making his first start this season, allowed just one hit and two walks, striking out four in three scoreless innings. Aumont got the victory with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts, and Alcantara pitched around two hits and walk to add two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Houston and Barbato finished the game off as each pitched a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts each.

    Make a note of it: The Mud Hens, who are in first place in the International League’s West Division, won the first game in this four-game series against the Indians, who are second in the West and 6½ games behind Toledo. ... Lugo’s two-hit night marked his 10th game with at least one hit in a road game.

    Comings and goings: The Detroit Tigers optioned pitcher Zac Reininger to Toledo after their game Sunday but did not announce who would be added to their roster. ... The Mud Hens sent pitcher Caleb Thielbar to Double-A Erie. ... The SeaWolves sent catcher Kade Scivicque to Toledo. Based on the promotion of Scivicque, it appears the Tigers will call up catcher Grayson Greiner from Toledo, but there was no announcement of that move.

    A look ahead: The Mud Hens and Indians will play the second game of the series at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Right-hander Kyle Dowdy (2-2, 4.38 ERA) will start for the Hens against J.T. Brubaker (3-2, 3.09 ERA) of Indianapolis.