Wise ignites Hens

9/4/2005

COLUMBUS After being shut out for the first time in more than a month, Toledo again found offense in the hot bat of center fielder Dewayne Wise last night in Cooper Stadium.

Wise hit a first-inning, two-run home run off the scoreboard in right-center field as the Mud Hens spoiled the second minor league rehab assignment for Columbus pitcher Chien-Ming Wang with a 4-2 victory.

Marcus Thames also homered for Toledo as it won for the fifth time in six games to improve to 88-54.

Even though we already clinched, winning s fun and we just want to try to carry it on over into the playoffs, Wise said. I ve been having some good at-bats. The hits have started to fall.

Shortstop Don Kelly led off the game with a single and reached second when Wang s pickoff throw went into the dugout. Wise followed with his fourth home run since Aug. 1 and his eighth overall.

Wise went 0-for-3 in a 5-0 loss to the Clippers on Friday but bounced back to go 3-for-5 and has been hitting better than .350 over the last 14 games.

The Clippers cut it to 2-1 in the second when Ryan Hankins hit a solo home run, but Thames solo shot in the third made it 3-1.

Mud Hens starter Joel Zumaya, who struck out nine before leaving after four innings, will start the Mud Hens second playoff game and was on a pitch count. He was relieved in the fifth by Mark Woodyard, who then pitched 21/3 scoreless innings before loading the bases in the seventh. John Ennis got Toledo out of a jam, however, as Joe Thurston grounded out and Kevin Jones struck out.

Woodyard improved to 5-2 while Jason Karnuth pitched a scoreless ninth for his 23rd save.

We should have scored a lot more runs tonight, but they should have, too, Hens manager Larry Parrish said.