Toledo wins the pitchers' duel and series
COLUMBUS, OH- The Columbus Clippers (71-61) fell to the Toledo Mud Hens (65-67) 6-2 at Huntington Park. The Clippers were held in check offensively and Toledo rallied for three runs in the ninth to create the necessary separation.
Both starters were quality Wednesday night. Tyler Cloyd (10-8, 3.98 ERA) went seven innings and allowed three runs on 10 hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Kyle Ryan (2-0, 2.00 ERA) was simply better. He allowed one run in seven innings on five hits with no walks to two strikeouts.
In the second the International League home run king faced Cloyd, who has allowed more homers than anyone else in the IL in 2014. He allowed his 24th of the season to Mike Hessman and it was a 1-0 Toledo lead.
The Mud Hens got another homer in the third off the bat of Jordan Lennerton with the bases clear.
With Toledo in front 3-0 in the seventh the Clippers finally got on the board. Back-to-back two-out singles by Carlos Moncrief and a pinch hitting Audy Ciriaco cut the Mud Hens lead to one.
In the eighth a solo shot by Luke Carlin made it a one-run game, but that's as close as it would get.
Moncrief threw out Hessman trying for second on a pop-up single in the sixth. It was his 22nd outfield assist. Already with the most outfield assists in one season by a Clipper Moncrief has the most in one season in the International League since Norfolk's Chris Roberson had 22 in 2008.
Zach McAllister (6-1, 1.95 ERA) will take the mound as the Clippers head into Louisville to face the Bats. Louisville will send out Mikey O'Brien (0-2, 5.63 ERA) Thursday night. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.