The Saints started quick, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jose Miranda doubled to right and Mark Contreras drove him in with a two-out single. In the second, three straight two-out hits, two doubles and a single, proceeded to make it 3-0 Saints.
Right-hander Nivaldo Rodriguez exited after five innings of work with the Mud Hens still trailing by three. A.J. Ladwig relieved him and provided two scoreless innings in relief.
The first real scoring opportunity came in the eighth for the Hens after Christin Stewart was hit by a pitch and Brady Policelli walked. With no outs, Jacob Robson bounced into a 4-6 fielder’s choice to put men at first and third for the top of the order. Greene drove home the first Toledo run on an RBI groundout. That brought up Spencer Torkelson who drove a line drive down the right field line for an RBI double, cutting the St. Paul lead to just one.
Righty Nolan Blackwood pitched the eighth and ninth, stranding a pair in the ninth to give the offense a chance to tie or win it in the bottom of the ninth.
Rodriguez drew a full-count walk to get the ninth started, but Josh Lester and Ryan Kreidler couldn’t deliver or move him up. That left it up to Christin Stewart who fell behind 1-2 in the count; however, he banged the next pitch off the right field wall for an RBI double that tied the game. After a wild pitch allowed Stewart to move up to third, Policelli grounded a ball past a diving Drew Maggi at short for a walk-off single to complete the comeback victory for Toledo.
What’s Next:
The Toledo Mud Hens and St. Paul Saints play game two of their five game set on Thursday at Fifth Third Field with the first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Hens Notes:
- OF Riley Greene singled twice, extending his hit streak to five games and notching his 13th multi-hit game of the year for the Hens.
- RHP A.J. Ladwig has now pitched six scoreless innings for Toledo this season.
- The walk-off is the second of the season for Brady Policelli.