Home runs hurt Hens against Clippers

Toledo, OH - The Toledo Mud Hens fell to the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park on Thursday by a score of 7-2 with the Clippers scoring early and often against the Hens. 

The Clippers were the first to score on Thursday. Greg Allen walked on four pitches to start the Columbus half, but was thrown out in a fielder's choice at second on a Brandon Barnes ground ball to third. Barnes would advance to second on a Bobby Bradley single to shallow center and score on a Trayce Thompson ground ball down the third base line that skipped off the bag. Mark Mathias would also reach in his at-bat on a fielding error to load the bases for Columbus with two outs. However, Toledo starter Tim Adleman would tally his second strikeout of the inning to escape with the score being 1-0 Clippers. 
In the top of the third, Adam Rosales led off for Columbus by beating out an infield single, followed by a Barnes single to put two on for the Clippers with no outs. A Bradley fly ball to center allowed Rosales to move up to third, putting runners at the corners with one away. After a Thompson ground out, Mathias singled to left field with Rosales scoring, making it 2-0 after three. In the midst of the inning, the Hens' hitting coach, Mike Hessman, was ejected by the third base umpire. 
In the top of the fourth, Toledo logged their first hit of the game, coming from a single off the bat of Harold Castro, extending his hitting streak to 20 games. The Clippers' starter Zach Plesac opened the game by tallying 10 straight outs. Castro would be the only baserunner of the inning for Toledo. 
In the fifth, the Hens kept the momentum in the hit column. Mikie Mahtook singled, but was picked off at first. Victor Reyes then also singled through the right side of the infield. In the next at-bat, Dustin Peterson was hit by a pitch on the wrist and would exit the game. Jacob Robson would replace him on the base paths with runners at first and second. Pete Kozma would rip a triple off the left center wall to score both Reyes and Robson to tie the game at two.
The Clippers didn't waste any time getting the runs back. In their half of the fifth, Rosales reached first with a single before a Bradley home run to left center to give Columbus a 4-2 lead. The round-trip knock was Bradley's tenth of the season. That wasn't all for the Clippers though, with Mathias also homering in the inning to push the score to 5-2.  
Before the start of the bottom of the seventh, the Hens made a pitching change. Adleman exited for Jose Fernandez out of the pen. In six innings of work, Adleman allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out four. 
To welcome Fernandez, Rosales doubled off the center field wall followed by a Barnes double down the right field line to score Rosales. Barnes would also score on a Thompson single to increase the Columbus lead to 7-2. Two wild pitches allowed Thompson to advance to third, but that's as far as he would get as Toledo escaped the inning. 
Entering the eighth inning, the Clippers also made a pitching change. Brooks Pounders entered for the starter Plesac. Plesac tossed seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out six. 
Fernandez's only inning of action would be the seventh, in which he allowed two runs on three hits. Jose Cisnero would replace him to start the eighth inning. Cisnero would allow a double to Dioner Navarro, who would advance to third on a deep fly ball by Stamets, but that would be all the action in the inning.  
In the ninth, the Clippers called on Jon Edwards out of the bullpen, replacing Pounders, who pitched one inning, striking out one and not allowing a baserunner. Edwards would close out the game for the Clippers.
What's Next:
Toledo will move on to the second half of the current road trip on Friday, heading to Louisville for a four game series with the Bats. Scheduled on the mound for the Hens is the left-handed Ryan Carpenter, who will enter play with a 1-4 record and a 4.15 ERA. Friday's game is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.
#RoadToDetroit Report (rankings according to MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch):
5. OF Daz Cameron: DNP
6. RHP Beau Burrows: DNP (IL)
7. IF Willi Castro: 1 for 4, 2B
10. RHP Kyle Funkhouser: DNP (IL)
12. C Jake Rogers: 0 for 3
16. OF Jacob Robson: 0 for 1
20. OF Danny Woodrow: 0 for 4
23. RHP John Schreiber: DNP
25. RHP Zac Houston: DNP
28. LHP Matt Hall: DNP
29. IF/OF Dustin Peterson: 0 for 1, HBP (Left at hit by pitch on wrist in 5th)
Hens Notes:
-The International League hitting streak record is 43 games. The team record is 23, with Harold Castro currently at 20 games.