Hens’ bats silencedin loss to Syracuse

Chiefs’ Hill throws complete-game shutout

5/5/2014

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Taylor Hill completely baffled the Hens, spinning a complete game 1-0 shutout as Toledo fell for the second straight game to Syracuse.

Hill, who improved to 4-1 with a 1.82 ERA, surrendered only three singles in his first career shutout. At one point, he retired 17 straight Hens.

That streak ended in the ninth, when Toledo mounted its biggest threat. After Marcus Lemon led off the inning by striking out, Daniel Fields reached on an error by shortstop Emmanuel Burriss. A Hernan Perez grounder forced Fields at second, but Jordan Lennerton then worked Hill for his lone walk to push the tying run to second base and bring up Mike Hessman, who had homered in back-to-back games.

But the Chiefs’ right-hander blew a fastball by Hessman for his fifth strikeout to end the threat and the game.

Syracuse (14-15) scored in the bottom of the seventh inning when catcher Jhonatan Solano took the second pitch from left-hander Mike Belfiore (1-2) over the fence in right field. It was Solano's team-leading fourth homer of the year.

The 1-0 lead would be all the Chiefs would need as Hill was dominant, throwing only 102 pitches.

Fields was the only Mud Hen with any success against Hill. The Toledo center fielder led off the game with a single, then picked up a second hit in the third inning. Brandon Douglas notched the other hit with a single in the third.

Toledo starter Blaine Hardy was nearly as effective as Hill. He set down the first six Chiefs and only surrendered one hit and a walk before leaving with one out in the fifth.

The Mud Hens (11-19) continue their eight-game road trip at 7:05 p.m. today at Pawtucket.