NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Toledo Mud Hens got off to another fast start with two runs in the top of the first frame on Sunday, but the Nashville Sounds pulled even an inning later and eventually used a two-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to clinch a 4-2 decision at First Horizon Park.
The result puts Toledo (46-37) 1.5 games behind first-place Omaha in the Midwest Division standings after the latter was blanked 4-0 at Columbus earlier in the day.
Nolan Blackwood made the first start of his professional career in the series finale, tossing three innings as he surrendered two earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Alex Lange, Locke St. John and Bryan Garcia combined to log eight strikeouts over four scoreless innings of relief, but Miguel Del Pozo was tagged with the loss after conceding what proved to be the decisive two-run double to former Toledo outfielder Dustin Peterson during Nashville’s (49-35) final trip to the plate.
Renato Núñez finished 1-for-4 with a solo home run, while Christin Stewart was 1-for-4 with a double. Yariel Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with an RBI single and a walk, while Jacob Robson and JaCoby Jones both ended the night 1-for-4 with a base hit.
For the second time in as many nights, the Mud Hens’ second batter of the game opened the scoring with a solo home run. Núñez, who homered in both halves of Wednesday’s doubleheader, gave the visitors an early lead when he sent a 2-2 pitch beyond the left-field seats for his 19th round-tripper of the campaign.
The Mud Hens promptly doubled their advantage later in the first inning. Stewart pulled a double down the right-field line, advanced to third on a wild pitch and came home when Gonzalez lined a two-out single into center.
Nashville restored parity with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second stanza. After Travis Shaw and Zach Green clubbed back-to-back singles to begin the home half, Pablo Reyes drove in both runners with a double into the left-field corner.
Lange struck out a season-best five batters in two shutout innings of relief before St. John and Garcia each added a scoreless frame to keep the game deadlocked at two apiece heading to the bottom of the eighth. This time, the Sounds finally got to the Hen Pen as Corey Ray and Tim Lopes hit consecutive singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Daniel Vogelbach then picked up a walk to load the bases, and Peterson followed by slicing a double to right-center that narrowly missed Stewart’s glove and allowed Ray and Lopes to score.
Trailing by a 4-2 margin, the Mud Hens looked to rally in the top of the ninth. Gonzalez drew a leadoff walk and Juan Centeno singled into right to put men on first and second with nobody out, only for Nashville reliever Luke Barker to recover and retire the next three batters he faced to complete the six-out win.
What’s Next:
The Mud Hens continue their lengthy road trip on Tuesday as they begin a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers. First pitch from Huntington Park is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Hens Notes:
• The Mud Hens are 31-16 when scoring first this season.
• Nine of Renato Núñez’s 19 homers have been solo shots. Núñez also leads the Triple-A East with 58 runs.
• Toledo is 2-5 when tied after seven innings this season.
• The Mud Hens finished the year 11-13 against the Southeast Division.