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IL1 Toledo Mud Hens

Hens Rally, But Clippers Win in 10th on Wild Pitch

July 15, 2016 - International League (IL1)
Toledo Mud Hens News Release


The Mud Hens fell behind 4-0 early, but grinded in the seventh to get each of them back and tie the game. It would take extra innings to decide a winner Friday night, and it would be the Columbus Clippers who pulled away after a wild pitch in the tenth.

Buck Farmer showed his capability of being a power pitcher, going seven innings and striking out ten. While Farmer set a season-high in strikeouts, the batters that did put the ball in play did so hard. The runs the Clippers got off Farmer came early. In the first, a Yandy Diaz grounder up the middle deflected off the glove of a diving Dixon Machado and allowed Diaz to hustle into second. Jesus Aguilar lined a ball up the middle that brought in Diaz to give the Clippers a quick 1-0 lead.

Columbus got right back to it in their half of the second, with Joey Butler getting things started on a single up the middle. Collin Cowgill picked up a single of his own before Ronny Rodriguez hammered a no-doubt shot to left field that made it 4-0 Clippers.

In addition to the Clippers jumping out to an early lead, starter Adam Plutko dominated the Mud Hens' bats. The righty held the Hens hitless until the sixth, when Alex Presley slapped a double down the left field line to break up the no-hit bid before Plutko carried it too deep into the ballgame. Plutko escaped the inning without allowing Presley to score, but he would not be so lucky in the seventh.

After collecting two hits in his first game back since participating in the Triple-A All-Star game Wednesday, Casey McGehee continued his hot streak by doubling down the left field line to open the seventh. Chad Huffman then muscled a broken-bat single up the middle to bring McGehee home and put the Hens on the board. After getting Dean Green to pop out, Plutko gave up a single to JaCoby Jones and followed by walking John Hicks to load the bases. He then issued a bases-loaded walk to Jeff McVaney that would result in him being pulled in favor of Jeff Johnson. Jordanny Valdespin entered to pinch hit for Argenis Diaz and flied out to center to bring in Jones and make it 4-3.

The inning continued when T.J. House, who was optioned from Cleveland earlier in the day, entered for a lefty-on-lefty matchup with Presley; he walked the right fielder to load the bases again. House was subsequently removed for Shawn Armstrong, who walked Machado to tie the game at 4-4. He fell behind 2-0 to McGehee, but got out of the jam when the all-star got under his next delivery and flied out to right to end the threat.

Preston Guilmet held the Clippers in the eighth, and the Hens looked poised to take the lead when Green doubled with one out in the home half. Armstrong, however, set down Jones and McVaney.

Logan Kensing took the rubber in the ninth and set the Clippers down 1-2-3. Toru Murata entered for the visitors and returned the favor, sending the game into extra innings.

Bobby Parnell got a flyout to begin his inning of work, but Ronny Rodriguez doubled to left field and advanced to third on an ensuing groundout. On a full count to Michael Choice, Parnell spiked a slider that got away from Hicks and allowed Rodriguez to score.

The Clippers made sure this lead did not get away from them. Murata remained in the game and retired Machado and McGehee. Huffman tried getting a rally started with a two-out single, but pinch hitter Miguel Gonzalez flew out to center to end it.

After splitting the first two against Columbus, the Hens still have two more with the rival Clippers at Fifth Third Field. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 7:05p. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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