Hens fall to Gwinnett in rain-shortened game

5/24/2009

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Nature delayed and finally ended a loss for the Toledo Mud Hens Saturday night.

The Hens (17-25) lost 9-3 to the Gwinnett Braves. The Braves (23-20) scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth with two outs when rain forced a delay of the game. Ultimately, the game was called.

Aside from a three-run third inning, the Mud Hens struggled to score runs against Gwinnett, managing six hits in the game with half coming in their big inning.

Facing former Cy Young winner Tom Glavine, on a rehab stint from the Atlanta Braves, Toledo struck first in the third. Jeff Frazier walked and then scored on a Wilkin Ramirez triple. With one runner on, Ryan Roberson sent a long ball over the wall in left field to give Toledo a 3-0 lead.

But then things began to go downhill for the Hens.

Gwinnett's Brian Barton hit a two-run homer for the Braves in the third and Clint Sammons hit a three-run shot in the fourth to gives Gwinnett a 5-3 lead.

The Braves added to their lead with a quartet of runs in the fifth before the rains came.

A Brandon Jones single scored Gregor Blanco and Jones scored on a grounder by J.C. Holt. A single by Alvin Colina sent Holt and Barbaro Canizares across the plate.

Lucas French took the loss for the Hens. He gave up five hits, eight runs and four walks in 41/3 innings .

Gwinnett pulled Glavine after the third, but Francisley Bueno threw two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win, giving up one hit and striking out two.