The Toledo Mud Hens let a 5-1 lead slip away in a 10-5 loss Saturday in 11 innings to the Columbus Clippers at Fifth Third Field.
It is the second consecutive loss for the Mud Hens (10-18), this time in a frustrating fashion as they were outhit 15-5 by Columbus.
Both teams failed to score in the 10th before the Clippers scored five on an RBI double from Tim Federowicz, a bases-loaded walk by Ryan Flaherty, and a three-run double from Trayce Thompson in the 11th.
Nick Ramirez turned in a solid start for Toledo, allowing one run in five innings. But Toledo allowed two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh, and one in the ninth to let Columbus back into the game.
Dustin Peterson led the Toledo offensive effort with a 2-for-5 night with a solo homer and three RBIs.
What happened: Peterson’s solo home run in the bottom of the second put Toledo on top.
Columbus answered with a run in the fourth on an RBI double by Brandon Barnes.
Toledo broke through with two runs in the fourth on an RBI single from Victor Reyes and a sacrifice fly from Dawel Lugo. The Mud Hens tacked on two in the fifth when Peterson notched a two-run single to make it 5-1.
Bobby Bradley crushed a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to cut the Mud Hens lead to 5-3. The Clippers scored again in the seventh on a double-play groundout by Barnes to make it 5-4. Greg Allen scored on a fielder’s choice in the ninth to tie the game at 5 and send the game to extras.
Game MVP: Thompson was 3-for-5 with the bases-clearing double.
He said it: “Late in the game, we are just having a hard time stopping anybody. In the ninth inning, we get a stolen base attempt and drop the ball. If we catch that and get a tag, the game’s over pretty much. We dodged a bullet when they didn’t score in the 10th inning. Then our youth showed again. You have to hit the ball to the right side or lay a bunt down, either one. You have to get him to third [base], not pop up the first pitch to left field. You feel like in extra innings with the way the new rule is if you can get away with no runs, you should win every time. I don’t think we got a hit after the fifth. It was pretty awful.” — Mud Hens manager Doug Mientkiewicz.
Make a note of it: Peterson’s homer was his first with the Mud Hens. ... On Friday, Ryan Carpenter notched a quality start with one run in six innings. He now has quality starts in his past two outings.
Comings and goings: The Mud Hens placed starting pitcher Kyle Funkhouser on the 7-day injured list. Mientkiewicz said Funkhouser felt some soreness in his shoulder but doesn’t have a timetable for the right-hander.
A look ahead: Toledo closes out a four-game set with Columbus at 1:05 p.m. Sunday. The Mud Hens and the Clippers starters are unknown at presstime.
First Published May 5, 2019, 1:43 a.m.