Hens outplay Storm Chasers in 19-1 victory

Papillion, NE- The Toledo Mud Hens (21-19) defeated the Omaha Storm Chasers (17-22) on Tuesday, May 12, at Werner Park in an offense-dominant showing. The Hens scored at least one run in eight of nine innings, adding 19 runs on 19 hits.

Ben Malgeri wasted no time reaching base this evening. Ripping one up the middle, he doubled on the second pitch of the game. Max Clark reached on a soft bunt, then a fielders error by Omaha’s pitcher allowed Malgeri to take a crooked number early with no men out (1-0). After a flyout, Max Anderson knocked one far enough for Clark to come home from second. (2-0)

An opening strikeout started Dylan File’s day on the bump as well as the near shutout of the opponent. Two hits and a walk followed to load the bases for the Storm Chasers, but a precise double play got the Hens out of trouble and ended the inning.

Tyler Gentry, the former Storm Chaser, led off the second with a base hit. A walk had two Hens on which set up Malgeri’s three-run homer over the fences (5-0), marking his sixth on the year. File added his second strikeout at the bottom and defense continued the shutout.

Corey Julks and Andrew Navigato singled in the third, Julks risked a slide to third base off Navigato’s swing. Malgeri reached on another fielder’s error and Julks got popped with the ball as he slid for home, called safe, for run number six (6-0). Anderson singled as second batter up in the fourth. Jace Jung went yard to follow and tacked on two more for the Hens. (8-0)

Back-to-back walks led off the visitors at bat in the fifth. Two wild pitches brought Malgeri home (9-0), Valencia ripped an RBI double (10-0), then Anderson sent one over the wall for the third Toledo home run of the evening, adding two. (12-0). Omaha finally put a run on the board from a solo homer in that inning (12-1). Gentry smashed a homer of his own against his former team in the sixth; another two-run shot. (14-1)

File’s day ended after 5 complete innings, Beau Brieske followed. He got one swinging and one looking in his only stanza.

The top of the seventh began with a Paul DeJong double. Anderson continued to show out with his fifth hit of the day being an RBI (15-1). Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, and Anderson scored from a catcher’s passed ball (16-1). Gentry added a double to his night for 2RBI (18-1). Luke Ritter replaced DeJong in the order, in at 2B, Navigato switched from 2B to shortstop in the bottom of the inning. Connor Seabold came in as the third Toledo arm on the bump, then Woo-Suk Go as the fourth and final.

The penultimate inning was the only inning in which the Hens did not tally a run. A single, double, and groundout combo added the final run for Toledo; ending the day with 19 runs on 19 hits and opening the series at Omaha victorious. File earned the win, marking him at 4-0 on the season.

The Mud Hens return to Werner Park on Wednesday, May 13, at 1:05pm for game two of the series, looking for another electric performance.

Notables

J. Jung – 3/6, 3R, HR, 2RBI, 0K

T. Gentry – 3/6, 2R, HR, 5RBI, 0K

M. Anderson – 5/6, 3R, HR, 4RBI