Memphis and Toledo Split Doubleheader After Rainout at Fifth Third Field

Toledo and Memphis turned a rainout into a test of endurance, and the clubs split the doubleheader after each had a chance to seize the day. Toledo rallied from a three-run hole to win the opener 4-3 in eight innings, then Memphis came back with a 3-1 victory in Game 2, a response that fit a compressed schedule built around first pitch at 11:05 a.m. and only a 30-minute break between seven-inning games.

The opener had the feel of a sprint that suddenly became a grind. Memphis jumped out to a 3-0 lead with RBI hits from Joshua Báez, Blaze Jordan, Colton Ledbetter and Bryan Torres, but Toledo kept chopping away. Max Clark delivered a run-scoring single, Eduardo Valencia drove a home run, and Andrew Navigato brought in the tying run as the Hens pulled even at 3-3 and pushed the game into extra innings. Under the automatic-runner rule, each club started the eighth with a man on second, and Toledo finished the job first to claim the 4-3 win.

Memphis answered in Game 2 by doing what good road teams do when the day starts to tilt against them: it controlled the middle innings. The Redbirds scored their first three runs across the second and third, then held Toledo to one run the rest of the way. Zimmermann earned the win by working 5.1 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out three. Peña took the loss and Pushard picked up the save. Blaze Jordan again stood out for Memphis, homering and driving in two runs in the 3-1 finish.

The split came after Tuesday’s postponement because of inclement weather, and the make-up date also doubled as School Education Day at Fifth Third Field. The early start and school-day crowd gave the ballpark a different pace, with a school fair at Hensville Park before the opener and a midday atmosphere that matched the stripped-down, seven-inning setup. Toledo entered the series at 17-16, while Memphis came in at 22-11 and was listed as the top team in the International League.

For Memphis, the split mattered because it came in the middle of a season built on prospect evaluation as much as results. The Redbirds’ opening-day roster included eight of the Cardinals’ top 30 prospects, and Joshua Báez was among the young players carrying that load. Leo Bernal was also active for Memphis in 2026. On a day when bullpen depth, bench usage and quick adjustments mattered as much as clean innings, Memphis recovered faster after the opener and left Toledo with a split that felt like survival for both sides.