Miscues cost Mud Hens in 4-1 loss at Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Toledo Mud Hens made some errors at costly times and offensively they were sluggish in a 4-1 loss to the Rochester Red Wings in the fourth game of a six-game series held at Innovative Field on Friday night.

Toledo has now dropped three of four to Rochester heading into the final two games of the series Saturday and Sunday.

The Hens grabbed the lead first when Dillon Dingler launched a home run, his second of the season, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead in the third. That was the only hit the Hens could muster until a pinch-hit single by Bligh Madris in the eighth.

Rochester’s offense struggled to produce early on, as well, but it broke through in the middle innings.

A pair of Toledo errors helped Rochester scrape across its first run in the bottom of the fifth.

Alex Call reached on an error by Mud Hens first baseman Keston Hiura, and another Hens error on a ball in play by Carter Kieboom put Call in scoring position. He rode home on a Jack Dunn RBI single that tied the game at 1.

The Hens switched pitchers in the home half of the sixth, going from starter Brant Hurter to Trey Wingenter, and the Red Wings made them pay. Juan Yepez led off the inning with a single, then Travis Blankenhorn sent a homer to center field for a 3-1 lead for the home team.

Trey Lipscomb kept the line moving with a base hit, and a pair of Dingler passed balls aided Lipscomb around the base paths as he scored to make it 4-1 through six.

Wingenter took the loss for the Hens (10-9), allowing three runs — two earned — on three hits in his lone inning of work. Rico Garcia picked up the win for Rochester (9-7).

Both team’s starters, Hurter for the Hens and DJ Herz of Rochester, went five innings. Hurter surrendered just a run on two hits and struck out nine batters. Herz allowed a run on one hit and struck out five.

The fifth game of the series is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Saturday at Innovative Field.