Mud Hens fall as Charlotte benefits from big inning

CHARLOTTE — A five-run fourth inning did most of the damage as the Toledo Mud Hens lost 6-4 to the Charlotte Knights on Saturday afternoon at Truist Field.

The Mud Hens, in their first game after Spencer Torkelson was called back up to the Detroit Tigers, lost for the third time in five games this week in Charlotte. They will aim for a series split in Sunday’s finale.

Charlotte got the scoring started when Wilmer Difo hit a ground ball with runners on first and third, resulting in a run for Oscar Colas in the bottom of the second.

In the top of the third, Justice Bigbie led off with a single before advancing to second on Riley Unroe’s walk and then to third on a wild pitch. He scored the tying run on a Ryan Vilade RBI groundout.

With Unroe on second and one away, Riley Greene delivered an RBI double to give Toledo a 2-1 lead.

Mud Hens pitcher Lael Lockhart got into trouble right away in the fourth as Colas led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. Zach DeLoach doubled and later scored on an error, and Bryan Ramos drove home Difo with an RBI single to chase Lockhart from the game.

Relief pitcher PJ Poulin committed a throwing error that allowed Mark Payton to score, but the run was charged to Lockhart, who finished with six runs allowed on four hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 3⅔ innings. The Mud Hens trailed 6-2 after the fourth.

Charlotte replaced starting pitcher Sean Burke with one on and one out in the top of the fifth, and Vilade tripled off reliever Sammy Peralta to score Bigbie. Vilade scored on a Riley Greene groundout to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Burke’s 4⅓ innings of work featured three runs allowed on three hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Toledo was held scoreless over the final four innings, and Charlotte escaped with the win despite being out-hit 9-5 and going just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

The Mud Hens (56-62) are scheduled to send Casey Mize to the mound for his third rehab start for Sunday’s 5:05 p.m. game. Charlotte (54-62) will turn to Nick Nastrini.