DES MOINES, Iowa – The Toledo Mud Hens topped the Iowa Cubs 3-2 on Friday night at Principal Park. The win is the third in the last four games for the Hens.
The first two innings went unscored in, but in the top of the third, Josh Lester hit a long home run to straight-away center field to give the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead. The home run was his 3rd of the season for Toledo and 28th on the year.
In the fifth, Lester struck again. This time he hammered a bomb to left field, an opposite field shot, that made it 2-0 Toledo.
The Mud Hens threatened to further extend their lead in the eighth, but ultimately left them loaded as they still held onto a two-run lead.
Right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. exited after seven dominant innings. He allowed four hits and punched out 14 batters on the night. He turned it over to Will Vest with the Mud Hens in front by two and the team just six outs away from victory. Vest gave up a double and then a single to put men at the corners with one out. After an important strikeout, Trayce Thompson legged out an infield hit to put the Cubs on the board.
Second baseman Kody Clemens walked to start the ninth. Zack Short was then hit by a pitch and Jacob Robson knocked a single through the box to center field for an RBI single, making it 3-1 Toledo.
Righty Jason Foley was brought in for the ninth, looking to earn a save and nail down a win for Toledo. Greg Deichmann greeted him with a home run to center field on the first pitch he threw. The solo shot closed the gap to a sole run and made Robson’s RBI hit in the ninth all the more important. Foley bounced back though, striking out Gushue and Young before getting Giambrone to fly out to center to end it.
What’s Next:
The Toledo Mud Hens and Iowa Cubs meet for game five of the series on Saturday night at Principal Park with the first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m.
Hens Notes:
- INF Josh Lester recorded his fourth multi-homer game of the season and first with Toledo.
- RHP Mark Leiter Jr.’s 14 strikeouts are the most by a Toledo pitcher this season.