The Toledo Mud Hens got a dominant pitching performance from lefty starter Tyler Alexander and earned a 2-0 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Saturday night at Fifth Third Field.
Alexander struck out 12 batters and gave up just two hits in his seven scoreless innings to improve his season record to 2-8.
After giving up a double to Rochester first baseman Zander Wiel in the fourth inning, Alexander retired the last 11 Red Wings he faced with eight of those outs coming via strikeout.
Daz Cameron provided early offense with a ground-rule double that drove in Victor Reyes in the second inning, and Pete Kozma scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded in the third inning.
Alexander exited following the seventh inning after throwing 107 pitches. Caleb Thielbar came on for a scoreless eighth inning and recorded the first out of the ninth.
John Schreiber got the final two outs of the game for his second save of the season and his second save in as many days after closing out the opening game of the doubleheader on Friday.
What happened: Cameron hit an RBI ground-rule double to center field in the second inning to score Reyes to give the Mud Hens a 1-0 lead.
Kozma then scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch from Devin Smeltzer in the third inning and gave Toledo a 2-0 lead. But that was the only run in the innings the Mud Hens could get after loading the bases with no outs.
The Mud Hens had another bases-loaded chance with two outs in the eighth inning, but Cameron struck out.
Schreiber allowed a single to Brent Rooker, but got a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Wilin Rosario to finish off the game.
Game MVP: Alexander is the obvious pick here with his dominant pitching performance.
He said it: “I’ve never had even double-digit strikeouts. I didn’t even know I had that many until I came in after the seventh. I’m never really trying to strike guys out. I really try to throw to contact so I can go deeper into games. I had good command of my fastball, and everything else kind of played off of that. It’s been a grind, but every week I keep working hard and hoping it will come together, and the last couple starts it has.” – Mud Hens starting pitcher Tyler Alexander.
He said it version 2.0: “[Alexander] took advantage of the shadows early. He’s been pitching a lot better lately I think in his last four of five. I didn’t see all of it because my eyes were closed because I am sick as a dog. From what I did witness, I saw a lot of throwing the ball around which is a good sign.” – Mud Hens manager Doug Mientkiewicz.
Make a note of it: Alexander recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts. ... Alexander is the first Mud Hens pitcher to notch 10 or more strikeouts this season. ... Toledo and Rochester combined for 25 strikeouts in the game. ... Victor Reyes was 4-for-7 in Friday’s doubleheader with four RBIs, helping him break the 50-RBI plateau on the season. He now has driven in 52 runs.
Comings and goings: The Detroit Tigers selected the contract of Mud Hens reliever Jose Cisnero. ... Tigers shortstop Jordy Mercer was in Toledo on Saturday for an injury rehab assignment. ... Mercer was 0-for-3 with a walk in Saturday’s game.
A look ahead: Toledo will close out a four-game set with Rochester on Sunday. The Mud Hens starting pitcher for the game has not yet been determined. The Red Wings will send Lewis Thorpe (3-3, 5.40 ERA) to the mound.
First Published June 23, 2019, 2:22 a.m.
