By Josh Cook
Jesus Delgado had back-to-back solid starts for the Louisville Bats, but the third time wasn't the charm.
The right-hander was rocked for nine hits and six earned run in five innings as the Toledo Mud Hens mauled Louisville 9-4 Thursday night in front of 12,522 at Louisville Slugger Field.
It was only the second loss in the last eight games for the Bats (42-47). Meanwhile it was the third straight win for Toledo (44-44), which leads Louisville by 2 1/2 games for third-place in the International League West, after an 11-game losing streak.
The Mud Hens scored four runs in the third inning, three in the sixth and two in the eighth, but it was the Bats who got on the scoreboard first.
Todd Frazier led off the second with a single, moved to third on Juan Francisco's single and scored when Wladimir Balentien grounded out.
Then Toledo tallied four runs in the third on RBI-singles by Scott Sizemore and Jon Weber and a two-run double by Jeff Larish.
Louisville tied the game with three runs in the fifth. Wilkin Castillo singled with one out, advanced to third on a single by Gary Matthews Jr. and scored on another by Zack Cozart. Then with two outs Frazier singled home Matthews and Francisco singled in Cozart. Toledo reliever Josh Rainwater (2-3) replaced Mud Hens starter Ryan Ketchner (4 2/3 innings, 10 hits, four earned runs) after the latter.
Those would be Louisville's last runs of the game, though.
Toledo tacked on a three-spot in the sixth. The inning began with Delgado giving up back-to-back singles before being replaced by Enerio Del Rosario.
In addition to the nine hits and six earned runs Delgado (2-2) walked one and struck five to raise his earned-run average to 3.73. Ryan Strieby's two-run single was the big hit of the inning.
The Mud Hens tallied twice more in the eighth on Maxwell Leon's solo homer and an RBI-single by IL All-Star Jeff Frazier as Rainwater registered the win with 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Francisco led Louisville's 12-hit attack by going 3-for-3. Yonder Alonso and Frazier added two hits apiece.
Louisville will try to salvage a split in its two-game series with the Mud Hens at 7:05 p.m. Friday night. Right-hander Edinson Volquez (2-0, 2.81 ERA) will make his fourth rehabilitation start with the Bats against Toledo righty Scott Druker (2-3, 5.47). The Budweiser "Happy Hour," which was moved from Thursday, will take place from 5:30-7 p.m.
