Mud Hens earn split at Durham

Toledo puts on a 15-hit barrage

6/13/2012

DURHAM, N.C. -- The Mud Hens' offense fired on all cylinders Tuesday as they compiled 15 hits in an 8-3 victory over Durham.

Durham starter Jim Paduch was knocked out of the game early, failing to make it past the second inning as the teams split their first matchup of the season at two games apiece.

Toledo took an early 2-0 lead in the first after a Rob Brantly RBI double led to another run as Brantly scored on a Ryan Strieby groundout.

The following frame, Paduch (2-5, 5.23) walked Jared Head and gave up a home run over to Brent Delugach. Paduch continued to struggle, hitting the following batter and serving up another home run, this one to Ryan Raburn.

Durham scored two in the bottom half of the second to cut the lead to 5-2, but the Hens added runs in the third and the fourth to make it 7-2 and close the door on a Durham comeback.

Dlugach was the offensive catalyst for the Hens going 2-for-4 with the homer and three RBI. Six of the Hens nine hitter's had multiple hits on the day.

Andy Oliver (4-5, 3.95) earned the victory after allowing three runs on six hits through 6⅔ innings, striking out five. The Hens bullpen combined for 2⅓ innings of two hit ball.

Shawn O'Malley was the lone offensive bright spot for the Bulls, doubling and scoring Durham's first run of the game in the third.

In his following at bat, he hit his second home run of the season, just his fifth of his career. Durham managed only two more hits in their last four innings, and finished the homestand with a 2-6 record, the first losing homestand of the season.

Mud Hens' value ranks 9th in minor league teams

The Mud Hens rank among the top 10 most valuable minor league baseball franchises in the country, according to Forbes Magazine.

The Mud Hens and the Memphis Redbirds, both Triple-A teams, tied for ninth and are valued at $22 million apiece.

The Hens also rank third in value among minor league baseball franchises located in Ohio. The Columbus Clippers are No. 1 in Ohio and tied for fourth in the country with a value of $24 million.

The Dayton Dragons, the only Class A team in the top 10, is valued at $23 million and rank No. 2 in Ohio and No. 8 overall.

The Triple-A Sacramento RiverCats rank No. 1 overall with a value of $32 million, followed by Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Round Rock Express tied at No. 2 ($26 million). Frisco RoughRiders (AA), Louisville Bats (AAA), and Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA) are tied for fourth with Columbus.