On deck: Mud Hens vs. Indianapolis

8/23/2004

When: Today through Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Radio: 1470 AM

Affiliation: Indianapolis, Milwaukee Brewers.

Pitching probables (Hens listed last): Today, RH Adrian Hernandez (0-8, 6.04 ERA) vs. LH Andy Van Hekken (9-5, 5.18); tomorrow, LH Jorge de la Rosa (4-5, 4.90) vs. RH Matt Roney (0-0, 6.55); Wednesday, RH Ben Hendrickson (10-3, 2.03) vs. RH Rick Kirsten (3-3, 7.60).

Tribe tidbits: Indianapolis enters this series at the bottom of the IL's West Division but only 4 1/2 games behind the Mud Hens after winning seven of its last 11 games. . . . The Indians are last in the 14-team IL in team batting average (.259) and are next-to-last in runs scored with 553. . . . 1B Jeff Liefer has hit .364 against the Hens this season with a pair of homers and nine RBIs in nine games. . . . IF Steve Scarborough has a .400 batting average versus Toledo. . . . C Chris Coste has hit .429 in his last four games. . . . While the Indians rank 11th in the IL in team ERA (4.71), RH Ben Hendrickson's 2.03 mark leads the league. . . . Closer Ben Ford has seven saves this season and three in the last 10 games.

Hen happenings: Toledo currently is second in the IL's West Division, 6 1/2 games behind division leader Columbus. . . . The Mud Hens have won just two of the first nine meetings between these two teams this season, the team's worst record against any IL opponent this season. Toledo has beaten Indianapolis only once in five contests at Fifth Third Field. . . . As a team the Hens have hit just .234 against the Indians this season. . . . IF Brant Ust has at least one hit in eight of his last nine games and has five multi-hit games in that span.

Special events: At today's game the Mud Hens will hold a random lottery, with 1,000 winners receiving Shane Loux bobblehead dolls. . . . Tomorrow fans can bring nonwinning Ohio Lottery tickets to the game, with one fan getting a chance to win $25,000. . . . On Wednesday the Budweiser Clydesdales will be on St. Clair Street before the game. During the contest the starting Mud Hens will wear the jerseys of the 1984 Detroit Tiger who played that same position. Former Tiger Darrell Evans will throw out the first pitch and sign autographs during the game.

Next home series: vs. Columbus Clippers, Sept. 4-6.