Hens quieted by Red Wings

7/29/2001

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - By any standard it was a quiet night for Toledo Mud Hen hitters.

The Hens, who had tallied at a six-runs-per-game clip over the previous five starts, crossed the plate just once last night in their 3-1 loss to the Rochester Red Wings before a Frontier Field crowd of 8,906.

Rochester starter Sean Douglass, who had dropped four of his previous five decisions, held the Hens to just five hits and a run over 71/3 innings.

None of the hits came from the heart of the Toledo batting order.

“The bats were silent,” said Toledo manger Bruce Fields.

Douglass was handed all the necessary run support when the Wings scratched out solo runs in the first and second innings, before Hens starter Mike Maroth was able to settle down.

Maroth (7-10), who also wound up going 71/3 innings, pitched well enough to keep his team in the game, even though he did serve up 11 hits. He did, however issue just two walks, one of them intentional. But he was upstaged by Douglass.

“You have to give their guy credit,” Fields said. “Douglass's ball looked like it was moving. He worked ahead, and when you work ahead, good things happen. We didn't get too many good swings off of him.”

The Hens' lone run came in the fifth, after Trace Coquillette opened the inning with a double down the left-field line. Coquillette, moved to third, then made it in when Jermaine Allensworth bounced into a fielder's choice.

In the bottom of the fifth, Toledo dodged a bullet after the Wings had two runners in scoring position with one away.

Tim Raines Jr. unwittingly helped the Hens' cause when he was erased on an ill-fated attempt to steal home.

Maroth wasn't as fortunate in the sixth, although he did escape with minimal damage - one run - after getting into a bases-loaded jam with none out.

“He showed some composure,” Fields said. “But when you see that the bats aren't lively, you've got to pitch like every run is important.

“He pitched well enough to win, but for whatever reason, we didn't do our thing offensively.”

Toledo lost yet another pitcher, yesterday, when LHP Kevin Tolar (1-4, 2.95) was called up by Detroit. He'll take the roster spot vacated yesterday when the Tigers dealt reliever Todd Jones to the Minnesota Twins.

There was no immediate word of Tolar's replacement on the Mud Hens roster.

It will not, however, be RHP Willie Blair, who was outrighted by Detroit on Friday.

“He's not coming,” Fields said. Blair had the option of refusing the assignment, and is now a free agent.