Hens outslug Clippers in back-and-forth game

TOLEDO – The Toledo Mud Hens defeated the Columbus Clippers 10-7 on Saturday night at Fifth Third Field.

The pitching matchup consisted of Bryan Sammons for the Mud Hens and Zach Plesac for the Clippers.

Sammons would begin the game by getting Chris Roller to flyout and Bryan Lavastida to strikeout. Johnathan Rodriguez would club a solo home run to put the Clippers up 1-0. Jhonkensy Noel would double and move up to third base on a passed ball. George Valera would draw a two-out walk before Zack Collins would groundout to end the inning.

Plesac would make quick work of the Mud Hens in the first inning. Plesac would get Parker Meadows to groundout, Justyn-Henry Malloy to strikeout and a Colt Keith to flyout to end the inning.

Angel Martinez would smack a leadoff double to begin the second inning. Sammons would get the next two batters as Micah Pries flied out and Raynel Delgado struck out. Roller would put the Clippers back in the run column with a RBI single. Sammons would get Lavastida to popout to end the inning.

Andre Lipcius would tap a leadoff single to left to begin the bottom of the second inning. Wenceel Perez would groundout, allowing Lipcius to move to second base. Eddys Leonard would put the Mud Hens on the board with a RBI double, making it 2-1 Clippers. Joe Rizzo would flyout for the second out. After a Ryan Kreidler walk, Donny Sands would smack a go-ahead two-run double to put the Mud Hens in the lead 3-2. Meadows would draw a two-out walk before Malloy would lineout to end the inning.

Sammons would return to pitch the third inning. Sammons got two quick outs, getting Rodriguez to lineout and getting Noel to flyout. Valera would draw a two-out walk, but would be stranded as Collins would strikeout to end the inning.

Plesac would strikeout both Keith and Lipcius to get two quick outs in the bottom of the third inning. Perez and Leonard would then club back-to-back home runs on back-to-back pitches, putting the Mud Hens up 5-2. Rizzo would follow with a double, but would be stranded after Kreidler would strikeout to end the inning.

Sammons would get Martinez to lineout for the first out before the inning unraveled. Back-to-back singles from Pries and Delgado and a two-run double by Roller would make it 5-4 Mud Hens. Sammons would get Lavastida to groundout for the second out. Rodriguez would then club his second home run of the game, this time a two-run home run to put the Clippers up 6-5. Sammons would strikeout Noel swinging to end the inning, but the damage was done. That would end the night for Sammons after 4.0 innings pitched, allowing six runs on eight hits (two home runs), two walks and five strikeouts.

Plesac would retire the Mud Hens in order in the fourth inning, getting Sands to groundout, Meadows to strikeout and Malloy to flyout.

Layne Henderson would enter to pitch the fifth inning for the Mud Hens. Henderson would strikeout Valera to begin the inning. Collins would draw a walk, but would be stranded after a Martinez groundout and a Pries flyout would end the inning.

Plesac would retire the Mud Hens in order on just eight pitches in the fifth inning, getting Keith to lineout and getting Lipcius and Perez to both groundout to second base to end the inning.

Henderson would return to pitch the sixth inning for the Mud Hens. Delgado would draw a leadoff walk, followed by a double by Roller to put two Clippers in scoring position. Lavastida would extend the Columbus lead to 7-5 with a sacrifice fly. Henderson would escape the inning with minimal damage as Rodriguez would strikeout and Noel would groundout to end the inning. That would close the book on Henderson after 2.0 innings pitched, allowing one run on one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.

Plesac would return to begin the sixth inning. Leonard would hit a leadoff single, then Rizzo would clobber a game-tying two-run home run, knotting the game at 7-7. Plesac would get Kreidler to flyout and Sands to popout to get the first two outs of the inning. That would chase Plesac, who would leave with a no-decision after 5.2 innings pitched, allowing seven runs on eight hits (three home runs), two walks and five strikeouts. Amir Garrett would enter to finish the inning for the Clippers. Garrett would get Meadows to groundout to end the inning.

Sam Clay would enter to pitch the seventh inning for the Mud Hens. Clay would retire the Clippers in order, getting Valera to strikeout, Collins to lineout and Martinez to popout to end the inning.

Garrett would return to pitch the seventh inning for the Clippers. Garrett would walk Malloy and promptly surrender a two-run home run to Keith, putting the Mud Hens in front 9-7. Garrett would bounce back to get three consecutive flyouts by Lipcius, Perez and Leonard to end the inning, but the damage was done. Garrett would finish with the loss after 1.1 innings pitched, allowing two runs on one hit (one home run) and one walk. Garrett falls to 0-1 on the season.

Clay returned to pitch the eighth inning for the Mud Hens. Clay would pick up back-to-back strikeouts of Pries and Delgado to begin the inning. Roller would reach on an infield single, but would be stranded after Lavastida flied out to end the inning. That closed the book on Clay, who picks up the win after 2.0 innings pitched, allowing one hit and striking out three batters. Clay is now 6-3 on the season.

Tim Herrin would enter to pitch the ninth inning for the Clippers. Herrin would strikeout Rizzo for the first out of the inning. Kreidler would connect with one to hit a home run to straight away centerfield to put the Mud Hens up 10-7. Herrin would get Sands and Meadows both to groundout to end the inning and his night. Herrin finished with 1.0 inning pitched, allowing one run on one hit (one home run) with one strikeout.

Miguel Diaz would enter the game to close it out for the Mud Hens in the ninth inning. Diaz would get Rodriguez to groundout for the first out. Noel would draw a four-pitch walk to put the Clippers on the bases. Valera would strikeout looking for the second out. Diaz would strikeout Collins swinging to end the game and seal the 10-7 win for the Mud Hens. Diaz would collect his 13^th save after pitching 1.0 inning with two strikeouts.

NOTABLES:

• Eddys Leonard: 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2B, 3 R
• Joe Rizzo: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2B, R, K
• Colt Keith: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, K
• Wenceel Perez: 1-4, HR, RBI, R
• Ryan Kreidler: 1-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB, K
• Donny Sands: 1-4, 2 RBI, 2B
• Sam Clay: W, 2.0 IP, H, 3 K
• Miguel Diaz: SV, 1.0 IP, 2 K

The Mud Hens will remain home for the series finale against the Clippers, tomorrow, Sunday August 12^th at Fifth Third Field, with first pitch coming at 4:05 pm ET.