Clippers bombard Mud Hens, jump on Oliver early for 9 runs

The Toledo Mud Hens were roughed up Wednesday, as they fell to the Columbus Clippers, 12-4.

The win marks the 10th in 12 games against the Hens.

The Hens' Jeff Salazar went 3-5 with a solo homer. Andy Oliver (5-6) took the loss as he gave up nine runs (eight earned) in three innings of work.

The Clippers (54-26) jumped out early on the Hens, 3-0, in the first inning after an Oliver wild pitch that scored Ezequiel Carrera, a RBI single and a RBI groundout.

Columbus tacked on two more runs in the home half of the third when Luis Valbuena took Oliver deep on a two-run home run. Valbuena is hitting .355 with 7 home runs and 24 RBIs this month.

Scott Thorman got the Mud Hens (32-49) on the board in the fourth with a solo dinger -- his 12th of the season -- that put Toledo within four at 5-1.

In the fourth, the Clippers added four more with three straight infield singles.

Oliver was pulled after he allowed eight earned runs. The Hens allowed another run on a sacrifice fly to fall behind, 9-1.

Outfielder Tim Fedroff contributed with his first home run as a Clipper -- a two run shot in the fifth off lefty Fu-Te Ni.

Fedroff finished with three RBI on the day and was a triple shy of the cycle.

Columbus extended its lead to 12-1 on a RBI double in the sixth.

Toledo answered with two runs in the seventh as Ben Guez doubled in Jeff Salazar, and a Ryan Strieby sacrifice fly scored Guez to make the score 12-3. It was Guez's 10th double on the year.

Salazar homered in the ninth but Toledo couldn't produce any more offense. The Clippers' Jason Kipnis went 3-4 with three runs scored and 2 RBI. David Huff (8-2) went six innings, allowing one run off four hits and striking out seven.

The series returns to Toledo at 7 Thursday night in Fifth Third Field, with the Hens sending outBrayan Villarreal (0-5, 4.41) against Scott Barnes (6-2, 3.63).