Huffman's 2 homers lead Mud Hens to win at Columbus
5/24/2018
Toledo's Chad Huffman hits the ball against Indianapolis at Fifth Third Field earlier this season. Huffman's two home runs at Columbus Thursday carried the Hens to a come-from-behind win.
Chad Huffman hit a pair of home runs, including the go-ahead grand slam in the seventh, to carry the Toledo Mud Hens to a 9-7 road win against the Columbus Clippers on Thursday at Huntington Park. The win gave Toledo a split of its four-game road series and helped it become the first team in minor-league baseball to reach the 30-win plateau.
What happened: Huffman’s two-run double sparked a four-run first inning for Toledo. But Columbus started chipping into that lead, getting a solo home run by Eric Stamets in the third before scoring four times in the sixth, thanks to a solo shot by Yu Chang and a two-run home run by Nellie Rodriguez.
But Huffman gave Toledo the lead for good when he slammed the first pitch by Clippers reliever Matt Belisle over the left-field fence for a two-out grand slam in the seventh. Columbus got two back in the eighth, but Huffman capped the scoring with a solo home run in the ninth.
Game MVP: You’re kidding, right? Huffman single-handedly demolished his former Columbus teammates by going 3 for 5, producing three runs scored and seven RBIs. He became the first Toledo batter to record seven RBIs in a game since Brad Eldred accomplished it April 24, 2012, against — you guessed it — Columbus.
Make a note of it: The Mud Hens have a 10-2-2 mark in the 14 series they have played this season. … Toledo now is 13-9 on the road in 2018. The only other International League team with a winning road record is Rochester at 13-8. … Jim Adduci’s first-inning single extended his hit streak to 11 games.
RELATED: Mud Hens outfielder Jim Adduci has had a “streaky” start to this season.
Comings and goings: Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario played in his second rehab game with the Mud Hens and had two singles and a walk in five plate appearances. Candelario has gone 2 for 8 with three runs scored and one RBI in his two games for Toledo.
A look ahead: The Mud Hens will open a four-game Memorial Day weekend homestand Friday, when they host Norfolk at Fifth Third Field at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Josh Turley (4-1, 3.11 ERA) will start for the Hens against the Tides’ John Means (0-0, 8.31 ERA).
Contact John Wagner at: jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481, or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.