COLUMBUS - The Mud Hens assured themselves of a winning record for the fifth straight year with a 4-3 victory over Columbus last night.
The last time a Toledo baseball franchise could make that claim was from 1896 to 1901, when the team had six consecutive winning seasons. The manager of those teams was Charles Strobel, who finished with 497 career wins.
With last night's win, current Hens skipper Larry Parrish moved past Strobel into second place on Toledo's all-time list.
The Mud Hens broke on top in the third when Audy Ciriaco led off with a single off Columbus starter Ken Ray, and Mike Gosse slammed a two-run homer.
The Hens added a run the next innings as Mike Hessman pounded a 3-0 pitch from Ray over the fence in left for his team-leading 23rd home run of the season.
The Clippers got one run back in the bottom of the fourth when two singles sandwiched around a walk loaded the bases with none out. Toledo starter Dontrelle Willis got Tony Graffanino to hit into a double play that scored Josh Barfield from third, then escaped further damage when Stephen Head flew out.Columbus knocked Willis out of the game in the seventh. With one out Graffanino doubled, then came home on a double by Head.
Scot Drucker relieved Willis and allowed a double to Damaso Espino that moved Head to third, but Head was thrown out at home on a groundout by Jesus Merchan before Drucker struck out Mickey Hall.
Toledo got the run back in the eighth when two hits and a walk loaded the bases and Max Leon was hit by a pitch to force home the run.
But Columbus again cut the lead to one run in the bottom of that inning on doubles by Donnie Webb and Lou Marson.
Search
advertisement
