Mud Hens take down Indianapolis in high-scoring affair

The Toledo Mud Hens carried a 12-run lead into the ninth inning, and despite allowing eight Indianapolis runs in the top of the ninth, the hosts held on for a 13-9 victory Friday at Fifth Third Field.

Toledo (64-71) managed at least one run in each inning and narrowly outhit Indianapolis 16-14 following a late offensive surge by the Indians (67-66).

The Mud Hens struck first in the bottom of the first inning by way of Andrew Navigato’s 21st home run of the season, a two-out, two-run shot that made it 2-0. In the second for the Mud Hens, Ryan Vilade registered his second hit of the game and drove in a pair of runs with his double that extended Toledo’s lead at 4-0.

The Hens managed single runs in the third and fourth for a 6-0 advantage.

Indianapolis switched pitchers from Luis Cessa to Beau Sulser in the fifth, but it was more of the same. Navigato and Justice Bigbie both singled around a strikeout of Bligh Madris, then a Stephen Scott triple scored a pair of runs (8-0). Later in the inning with Scott still at third, Riley Unroe’s groundout brought Scott home and made it 9-0.

The Hens added two more in the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, Scott drove in Navigato. Then an Oscar Mercado sacrifice fly scored Madris, extending the margin to 11-0.

Indianapolis finally got on the board in the top of the seventh on Matt Gorski’s RBI double that cut the margin to 11-1.

Solo homers by both Vilade and Madris in the seventh and eighth extended the Hens’ lead to 13-1 before the Indians rallied for eight runs in their final at bat.

Toledo starter Lael Lockhart pitched a gem, going 6⅔ innings, allowing a run on five hits while striking out seven. Cessa took the loss for the Indians.

Toledo and Indianapolis meet for the fifth game of the series at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Fifth Third Field. Troy Watson (3-6) gets the start on the mound for Toledo, while Jake Woodford (3-5) makes the start for Indianapolis.