Hens drop 3rd straight despite Hessman homer

7/24/2014

NORFOLK, Va. — The Mud Hens suffered their third straight loss when they dropped a 3-2 decision at Norfolk on Wednesday.

Toledo slid two games under the .500 mark and remains in third place in the International League’s West Division, four games behind co-leaders Columbus and Indianapolis.

The Hens fell behind quickly as the Tides scored twice in the first off Toledo starter Duane Below. With one out, Jemile Weeks singled, and with two outs, Below surrendered singles to Dariel Alvarez, Cord Phelps, and Ivan De Jesus. The last two hits produced runs.

Phelps had a pair of hits to lead the Norfolk offense.

The Tides added a run in the fifth when Julio Borbon singled, moved to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a sacrifice, then came home on a sacrifice fly by Christian Walker.

The Mud Hens offense struggled throughout the contest. After leaving the bases loaded without scoring in the second, Toledo managed just one run in the third despite loading the bases with no one out.

Hernan Perez singled, and Norfolk replaced starter Steve Johnson with Nick Additon. Additon allowed singles to Jordan Lennerton and Mike Hessman to load the bases, and James McCann hit a sacrifice fly to score Perez.

But Tyler Collins grounded into a double play to end the threat.

Ben Guez singled to lead off the fourth, but he was thrown out trying to steal third. After that out, Additon and fellow reliever Ramon Ramirez retired the next 14 Hens in a row.

In the ninth, Norfolk closer Evan Meek gave up a leadoff home run to Hessman, his 18th this season, to cut the Hens’ deficit to a single run. But Meek pitched around a two-out walk to Guez to record his eighth save.

Additon, who pitched five innings in relief of Johnson, was credited with the victory.