Huffman homers as Hens fall to RailRiders

MOOSIC, Pa. - The first-place Toledo Mud Hens had their six-game winning streak snapped by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in a 7-3 decision on Sunday at PNC Field.

Despite the setback, the Mud Hens (11-4) are three games clear of Indianapolis atop the West Division standings, pending the outcome of the Indians' series finale versus Charlotte. The result also ended Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's (8-8) five-game skid.
Christin Stewart reached base three times on the afternoon, going 1-for-2 with a double, a pair of walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Chad Huffman went 1-for-4 with a two-run blast, while Grayson Greiner finished 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. 
On the mound, Ryan Carpenter matched his season-high with seven innings of work, but was saddled with the loss after allowing five earned runs 10 hits and a walk while striking out three. Victor Alcántara surrendered two earned runs on two hits in his lone inning of relief.

The RailRiders started the scoring in the bottom of the opening frame. Abiatal Avelino whacked a leadoff double down the left-field line, and advanced to third on a stolen base. After Kyle Higashioka walked to put runners on the corners with nobody out, Shane Robinson grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Avelino and give the hosts a 1-0 advantage.
Toledo captured its first lead of the afternoon in the top of the fourth. Stewart reached base on a walk, and scored when Huffman blasted a two-out, two-run shot over the left-field fence to put the Mud Hens in front by a 2-1 count.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre responded with two runs in the bottom of the same stanza. The RailRiders picked up three consecutive singles to load the bases with nobody out before Billy Fleming was hit by a pitch, driving in Erik Kratz to even the score at 2-2. L.J. Mazzilli then gorunded into a double play, but Zack Zehner scored to give the hosts a 3-2 edge.
The Mud Hens restored parity in the top of the sixth. Stewart went to the opposite field, ripping a two-out double into the gap in left-center, scoring Dawel Lugo from first as Toledo knotted the score at 3-3.
The RailRiders recaptured the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the frame. Fleming singled to center, and Mazzilli brought him home with a double into left to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 4-3 lead. The hosts added some insurance in the closing stages, as Higashioka led off the seventh with a home run to left to extend the lead to 5-3, while Mazzilli wrapped up the scoring in the eighth on a two-out, two-run shot to left to make it a 7-3 ballgame.
The Mud Hens continue their road trip on Monday with a doubleheader against the Pawtucket Red Sox. First pitch from McCoy Stadium is scheduled for 4:35 p.m.