TOLEDO, Ohio – The Columbus Clippers topped the Toledo Mud Hens 8-3 on Saturday evening at Fifth Third Field. The win gives the Clippers a chance for a series win tomorrow while the Mud Hens will look to come away with a split.
The first base runners came in the second inning against Logan Shore after he issued a pair of walks. With two on and one out, Trenton Brooks pulled a ball down the right field line for a three-run shot to give Columbus an early 3-0 edge.
The first hit for Toledo came in the third, a leadoff single for Ryan Kreidler. Jacob Robson followed it with a base knock of his own, shooting a ground ball through the right side. Brady Policelli then walked to load them up. Riley Greene tapped a 1-0 pitch to first, but the only play for Brooks was to flip to Kirk McCarty for the out at first as Kreidler came in to score.
A triple followed by a double to start the fifth allowed the Clippers to re-extend their lead to three. Shore settled down, striking out Daniel Johnson and getting Oscar Gonzalez to ground out. That would be the end of his day though as Joe Navilhon relieved him to get the last out of the fifth. That would not be an easy task however, as Palacios drove a 3-2 pitch to left field for an RBI double, making it 5-1 Columbus.
The Mud Hens answered with a run in the bottom half of the frame. Robson singled again and Greene drew a walk. Aderlin Rodriguez then ripped a single to left field to plate Robson, cutting the Columbus lead back to three.
The Clippers offense wouldn’t stop, though. Gabriel Arias started the seventh with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by Gonzalez. Palacios also singled and then Monasterio walked to load them up with one out. Navilhon induced a pop out to Clemens at second base for the second out and then a ground ball to Short at short to leave them loaded.
After stretch time in Toledo, Robson recorded his third hit of the game, a single to left. He moved up to second on a groundout and sprinted home on a base hit to right by Greene, cutting the deficit back to three.
Right-hander Nolan Blackwood came on to pitch the eighth for Toledo. He conceded two singles and a double that plated a run and put runners at second and third. Some effective pitches allowed Blackwood to record back-to-back strikeouts and then a groundout to strand the pair of runners in scoring position.
The Clippers continued to add to their lead in the ninth. Consecutive doubles made it an 8-3 game.
Robson doubled to start the ninth, his fourth hit of the night. He moved to third on Greene’s single and then scored on a sac fly by Spencer Torkelson. That’s all the Hens would get though as they dropped the game, 8-4.
What’s Next:
The Toledo Mud Hens and Columbus Clippers meet for the series finale Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Field with the first pitch scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
Hens Notes
- OF Jacob Robson recorded his third four-hit game of the season, a team best.
- OF Riley Greene notched his eighth multi-RBI game of the year.