Mud Hens’ season finishes with loss
9/2/2013COLUMBUS — The Mud Hens lost their season finale on Monday evening, falling 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth against the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park.
Ryan Rohlinger began the ninth-inning rally for Columbus with a walk. He advanced to second base on a Matt LaPorta single, then scored on Chun-Hsiu Chen’s one-out single to left field, ending Toledo’s dismal season, which included not retaining manager Phil Nevin.
The Mud Hens finished 61-83 — the second-worst record in the International League and 19 games out of first place in the West Division. Only the Gwinnett Braves (60-84) lost more games this season.
Toledo’s Jon Link took a no-decision. He allowed seven runs — five earned — on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out three, and walked two.
Kenny Faulk took the loss for the Mud Hens, allowing one run in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.
The Mud Hens started quickly, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Jordan Lennerton’s RBI double and Ben Guez’s RBI single. That was the start of a big day for Lennerton, who went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Toledo struck for three runs in the third inning on RBI singles by Lennerton and Ronny Paulino, and Danny Dorn’s groundout. Columbus scored in four consecutive innings, though, and led 6-5 through six innings.
Toledo began to rally in the top of the seventh inning, when Paulino’s RBI single made it 7-6. Paulino drove in two runs.
John Murrian’s solo home run in the eighth knotted the score at 7, before Columbus delivered the game-winning run to end it in the ninth.
Francisco Valera earned the win for Columbus. He struck out two Hens and walked one in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Columbus ended its season with a 71-73 record, finishing second in the West Division. The Clippers trailed Indianapolis by nine games.