Mud Hens keep offense rolling

7/2/2009

COLUMBUS - After struggling with their offense for much of the year, the Mud Hens seem to be figuring things out.

One night after piling up nine runs and pounding out 13 hits against Indianapolis, Toledo continued to smack the ball around the park in a 12-4 win over the Clippers.

Brent Dlugach was the hitting star, driving a ball over the left-field fence in the first inning to get the Hens on the board, then adding a two-run shot in the sixth. He also ripped an eighth-inning double, raising his average to .286.

Dlugach didn't do it alone. Toledo had five other hitters with at least two hits.

The big inning for the Hens came in the fifth, when they scored six times to take an 8-2 lead.

Jeff Frazier got the inning started with a single to left, and Wilkin Ramirez followed with a walk. Ryan Roberson then doubled to left to drive in Frazier and Ramirez. Later, Frazier's second single in the inning brought home Dlugach and Mike Hessman to finish off the big frame.

On the mound, Scot Drucker benefited from his teammates' generosity, improving to 6-2 on the season despite giving up four runs on seven hits and four walks in six innings.

Matt Rusch relieved Drucker to start the seventh and yielded only one hit in the final three innings to earn his first save of the season.