DES MOINES, Iowa – The Toledo Mud Hens smashed three more home runs as they wrapped up a 13-game road trip with a convincing 8-1 victory over the Iowa Cubs on Sunday at Principal Park.
Winners in six of their last seven, the result gives the Mud Hens (67-47) a 3.5 game lead over Omaha in the Midwest Division standings, pending the outcome of the latter’s series finale at St. Paul.
Riley Greene reached base three times, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk, while Aderlin Rodríguez finished 2-for-5 with a double and a run. Ryan Kreidler ended the day 2-for-5 with a two-RBI homer and a pair of runs, Grayson Greiner went 2-for-5 with a two-run single, and Kody Clemens added a solo shot of his own for his 17th round-tripper of the season.
Toledo pitching matched a season-low as they combined to surrender two hits, both courtesy of Iowa (46-68) first baseman Jared Young. Logan Shore won his fifth consecutive decision, tossing five solid innings as he conceded an earned run on a hit and a walk while striking out three. Angel De Jesus notched five strikeouts in two hitless innings of relief, before Wladimir Pinto and Will Vest each added a scoreless frame out of the Hen Pen.
The Mud Hens picked up where they left off to begin the series finale. After Daz Cameron ripped a leadoff double to right-center, Greene opened the scoring with a two-run shot to left for his sixth Triple-A homer of the campaign.
Shore conceded his only hit in the bottom of the fifth, when Young put Iowa on the board with a solo shot to left-center that cut Toledo’s lead to 2-1.
The Mud Hens pulled away from the Cubs with a three-spot in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Greiner sliced a two-run single into right to drive in Rodríguez and Zack Short. Cameron then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Kreidler and make it a 5-1 ballgame.
Toledo put the game beyond any doubt with three more runs an inning later. Kody Clemens belted a solo shot to right-center that opened up a 6-1 cushion. RodrÍguez promptly doubled into the left-field corner, and scored when Kreidler hit his second home run in as many games to extend the lead to 8-1, which held on to be the final tally.
What’s Next:
The Mud Hens return to Fifth Third Field on Tuesday as they begin a six-game series against the Columbus Clippers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.