Josh Lester hit two home runs and Andre Lipcius scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth as the Toledo Mud Hens squeezed out an 8-7 win over the Columbus Clippers on Sunday at Fifth Third Field in the season’s final home game.
Lester was 4-for-5 on the day with five RBIs and connected on his 28th and 29th home runs of the season.
John Valente added a home run for Toledo and Daz Cameron and Brendon Davis had two hits each. Cameron also stole two bases.
The first of Lester's two home runs cut the Columbus lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Clippers added two runs in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead, but the Mud Hens answered with four unanswered runs to claim the victory.
Zack Short singled in a run in the seventh, Lester hit his second two-run shot of the game in the eighth, and Lipcius ended the game scoring on a wild pitch in the ninth.
In the ninth inning, Lipcius got aboard on a one-out walk. Jamie Westbrook was then hit by a pitch. After Chris Rabago struck out for the second out, Valente was hit by a pitch. That loaded the bases and allowed Lipcius to score when Luis Oviedo uncorked a wild pitch.
Nick Vincent (6-5) picked up the victory for Toledo after pitching a scoreless ninth inning, while Oviedo was tagged with the loss.
Toledo starting pitcher Austin Bergner went 4⅔ innings, giving up five runs on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
The Mud Hens close out the season with a trip to Iowa for a three-game set beginning at 7:38 p.m. on Monday.
First Published September 25, 2022, 9:57 p.m.
