Columbus shuts down Mud Hens

Clippers score in bottom of the eighth for 2-1 win

7/13/2013

COLUMBUS — Columbus pushed home a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a 2-1 victory over the Mud Hens Friday.

Clippers starter Daisuke Matsuzaka combined with a pair of relievers to limit the Hens to seven hits and one run as Toledo now has lost four in a row.

Mud Hens reliever Brayan Villarreal allowed the game-winning run in the eighth. With one out Matt Carson tripled into the left-center gap, and Carson came home on a groundout by Luis Hernandez.

Hernandez hit a grounder up the middle that Toledo second baseman Gustavo Nunez was able to knock down, but Nunez only was able to get an out at first base.

Columbus scored a run in the third inning off Hens starter Kyle Lobstein. Tim Fedroff led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a groundout, then scored on a single by Chun-Hsiu Chen.

Toledo scored its lone run off Matsuzaka in the sixth, when Nick Castellanos pounded his 12th home run of the season, a long drive just to the right of straight-away center.

The Mud Hens finished with just six hits, with Castellanos, Nunez, and Argenis Diaz leading the way with two hits each.

Matsuzaka gave up just six hits and two walks while striking out nine in seven innings. Blake Wood struck out the side in the eighth, and Preston Guilmet pitched around a two-out single to earn his 17th save.

The Mud Hens placed relief pitcher Jose Valverde on the temporary inactive list Friday so the former Detroit Tigers’ closer can deal with a family matter.

There is no timetable on his return.