Hens falter in 3rd straight contest

7/12/2013

COLUMBUS — A five-run fifth inning rally by Columbus carried the Clippers to a 10-3 win over the Mud Hens Thursday.

The Clippers sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth and collected five hits as well as a critical Toledo error on the way to sending the Hens to their third straight loss.

Robbie Weinhardt started the game for Toledo in place of Derek Hankins, whose contract will be sold to a Korean baseball team.

Weinhardt gave up a run in the first on Matt Carson’s sacrifice fly, then allowed a pair in the second when Nate Spears walked, then raced home on a double by Roberto Perez, who scored when Mike Cervenak mishandled Ezequiel Carrera’s grounder.

Columbus starter Carlos Carrasco retired the first nine Mud Hens he faced before Toledo hit two runs in the fourth to tie the contest.

Avisail Garcia opened the inning by slamming a home run to center, his third this year. Ben Guez followed with a single, and two outs later Danny Dorn pounded a two-run homer to center, his 17th on the season.

In the fifth, Matt Hoffman, who came off the disabled list before the game, gave up a one-out double to Chun-Hsiu Chen and a two-out double to Matt Carson for one run. Hoffman struck out Juan Diaz, but catcher Bryan Holaday didn’t catch the ball, then hit Diaz on the helmet with the throw to first to allow Diaz to reach base while Carson scored. Ryan Rohlinger followed with a single, and Spears hammered a three-run homer to right.

Jose Valverde gave up a pair of runs in the eighth.