Mud Hens make it 7 wins in row

8/9/2001

The Mud Hens stretched their second-longest win streak of the season to seven games when Jhonny Perez hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning against Charlotte to give them a 6-5 victory last night at Ned Skeldon Stadium.

Jermaine Allensworth scored easily on Perez's short fly to right to end the game. Toledo has a chance to tie its longest win steak of the season (eight wins) today when the Mud Hens host Durham for a doubleheader starting at 5:30.

“It's a good feeling to win seven in a row,” Hens manager Bruce Fields said. “Any time you can win consecutive games it's always nice.''

The Mud Hens (57-62) went after their seventh straight victory with left-hander Randy Leek on the mound. Leek, who was called up from double-A Erie just for last night's game, allowed three runs on seven hits. In spite of giving up three home runs, including two in a row in the first inning, he responded well to his sudden start in Toledo. He left the game with Toledo leading 5-3.

“We really need a starter for and he really did well in the spot start for us,” Fields said. “He had a lead when he went out and that's all you can ask.”

The Knights quickly took a 2-0 lead.

Danny Bravo connected on a Leek fastball for his second home run of the season to put Charlotte ahead 1-0. The Knights quickly led by two runs when Jeff Inglin ripped the first pitch from Leek over the left field wall.

But giving up the two homers in the first inning wouldn't completely tell the story of Leek's first outing in a Mud Hens uniform. The 24-year-old eventually settled down and left the game after seven innings in position to collect his first decision for a streaking Toledo ballclub.

It didn't take the Mud Hens long before making Charlotte right-hander Josh Fogg feel a little uncomfortable. The Mud Hens sent eight batters to the plate in the first inning to go up 4-2 by scoring four runs with two outs.

Carlos Mendez drove in the Mud Hens' first run with two outs when he doubled to right-center, allowing Rich Becker to score after leading off with a single.

After Jarrod Patterson walked, Brandon Inge cleared the bases with a two-run double to left-center to put the Mud Hens in front 3-2. Kurt Bierek tagged a base hit that allowed Inge to slide in safely at home for Toledo's fourth run.