Although the Hens are in the middle of
the International League pack with an exact .500 record (23-23) and are reeling
on a 3-7 cold spell, they boast the circuit’s best road record at 11-7. The
PawSox will counteract that with a league-leading 14-6 transcript at McCoy
Stadium.
Here are nine other pregame pop-ups
worth noting ahead of Thursday night’s first pitch.
·
Toledo
boasts two of the top nine International League batting average leaders in
outfielder Justin Henry (.322) and
designated hitter Brad Eldred
(.304).
·
Mud
Hens starter Thad Weber is seventh
in the league with a 2.54 earned run average, though he brooked the blame for
Toledo’s only loss during Pawtucket’s visit May 1-4. But odds are the PawSox
will not be dealing with him in this series as he just threw six innings and
took the loss in Toledo’s last outing on Tuesday at Syracuse.
·
Only
the Louisville Bats, who have consumed one more game off their schedule, have seen
more of their batters strike out (385) than Toledo (373). But the Hens also
lead the league with 200 walks.
·
On
the other side of the ball, the Toledo pitching staff has allowed the most
opposing walks to date with 211. Whether it is walks-for or walks-against, no
other I.L. tenant has broken the 200 plateau in this category yet.
·
The
Mud Hens’ baserunning will also be worth watching in the top half of every
inning. They lead the league in total stealing attempts with 92 and have
succeeded on a whopping 71 of those. Centerfielder Quintin Berry (19), shortstop Audrey
Ciriaco (11) and left fielder Matt
Young (10) are the team’s grand larceny ringleaders.
·
Although
he only appeared in two games, Jose
Iglesias led the PawSox offense in their previous series against the Mud
Hens. He batted 4-for-7 with a double, a triple, two RBIs, two walks and two
runs-scored.
· Ross Ohlendorf and Doug Mathis, Pawtucket’s tentatively
slated starter in the opener and finale, respectively, will both try to redeem
a loss from their road bout with Toledo. Justin
Germano figures to toe the rubber on Friday looking for his second straight
win at the Hens’ expense.
·
The
Sox are 5-7 versus the I.L. West so far, having split each of eight scheduled
meetings with the Columbus Clippers. They have yet to crack open their season series
with Indianapolis and Louisville.
·
The
Mud Hens went 3-1 in their annual four-night stays in Pawtucket in both 2011
and 2010. The PawSox last won their season series with Toledo in 2009, when
they went 5-3, a record they can match for this year with a sweep this weekend.
