Mud Hens earn road win at Louisville

Christin Stewart hit his ninth home run of the season as the Mud Hens cruised to an 8-4 win at Louisville.

The Toledo Mud Hens hit three home runs and scored in each of the first five innings in an 8-4 win Saturday against the Louisville Bats at Slugger Field in Louisville. Toledo was forced into a bullpen game, and five relievers combined to allow four runs.

What happened: Toledo got on the board in the first inning, when Dawel Lugo recorded an RBI groundout that scored Ronny Rodriguez. Jason Krizan hit a solo home run in the second, then Christin Stewart followed with a solo shot in the third. In the fourth, Kenny Wilson homered and Rodriguez added an RBI double as the Mud Hens took a 5-0 lead. Jim Adduci added an RBI double and Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Harold Castro picked up RBIs in the fifth, stretching the lead to 8-0.

Louisville scored on an RBI double from Gabriel Guerrero in the sixth and a Tyler Goeddel RBI double in the seventh The Bats then scored twice in the ninth on a two-run double by D.J. Peterson.

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Kevin Comer started the game for Toledo with two scoreless innings and Paul Voelker pitched a scoreless third and fourth to earn his second win of the season.

Game MVP: Stewart belted his ninth home run of the season and finished the game 2 for 5, adding a double.

Make a note of it: Toledo was forced to throw a bullpen game after scheduled starter Ryan Carpenter was added as the 26th man for the Detroit Tigers’ doubleheader against Seattle. As a result, Comer, a reliever, started his first game since 2015 when he was in the Houston Astros farm system at High-Single A Lancaster. … Stewart’s nine home runs are the most in the International League.

Comings and goings: The Tigers purchased the contract of pitcher Louis Coleman from the Mud Hens. To add Coleman to the 40-man roster, pitcher Chad Bell was designated for assignment. ... Before the game, outfielder Kenny Wilson was promoted from Double-A Erie. … The team also placed Edwin Espinal on the 7-day disabled list. He was hit in the face by a Robert Stephenson pitch in the first inning of Friday’s game.

A look ahead: The two teams will close out the series at 2:05 p.m. Sunday. The Hens will send Drew VerHagen (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound, while Jose Lopez (0-3, 5.17 ERA) will pitch for the Bats. After an off day Monday, the Hens will return home for six games starting Tuesday.

Contact Brian Buckey at: bbuckey@theblade.com, 419-724-6110, or on Twitter @BrianBuckey.