Bennett Lee’s game-winning hit propelled Toledo to a second straight win in thrilling fashion.
The Toledo Mud Hens outlasted the Iowa Cubs 2-1 in a thrilling finish as catcher Bennett Lee connected on a RBI double to center field to score the game-winning run and walk off with a triumph at Fifth Third Field on Wednesday!
“When it landed and my teammates came running at me, it was a great feeling,” Lee told me in an exclusive interview.
“He got ahead early, so I was just trying to let the ball travel, and I got a good one to hit. I knew I hit it good.”
Toledo trailed 1-0 in the first inning as pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long got off to a slow start, but he settled in to keep the deficit to a minimum. Shortly after, the Mud Hens tied it with a RBI single by second baseman Max Anderson.
Anderson drilled a single to the outfield to score third baseman Jace Jung, who opened the inning with a leadoff double.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the third inning, but Gipson-Long struck out two batters to keep the score tied.
It appeared the game was going to go to extra innings as Lee stepped to the plate with it tied 1-1 and two outs before his go-ahead hit bounced off the ground and scored right fielder Cal Stevenson to hand the Mud Hens a win.
Lee’s game-winning hit could continue to propel the Mud Hens moving forward, providing a spark of momentum with just over a month remaining in the regular season. Toledo improved to 58-63 with the second straight victory.
“We have to continue to play good baseball and do a great job on the mound like we have the last two days,” Lee said.
“There’s five weeks left in the season, so we’re not taking anything for granted. We’ll take it one day at a time.”
The Mud Hens are certainly moving in the right direction, posting a 24-23 record in the second half of the season, and a galvanizing win like this will only continue to fuel Toledo moving forward as the regular season winds down.
