Clippers pound Mud Hens, 12-6

TOLEDO - An offensive outburst propelled the Columbus Clippers past the Toledo Mud Hens Saturday night.

The Clippers (10-6) used a six-run fourth inning to beat the Mud Hens, 12-6, in the first game of the series in Toledo after Friday night’s game against the Indianapolis Indians was rained out.

Columbus had 19 hits in the game, including seven extra-base hits. The Clippers scored eight runs off Mud Hens’ starter Ramon Garcia (1-1), who only lasted four innings, while giving up 10 hits.

Clippers’ right fielder Ryan Spilborghs and left fielder Russ Canzler led the Columbus offense. Spilborghs went 3-for-5 with three doubles and Canzler went 5-for-6 with a triple.

Right-hander Zach McAllister (1-1) started for the Clippers. McAllister allowed one earned run in five innings of work, striking out eight batters in the process.

Columbus opened the scoring gates in the top of the second inning.

Clippers’ first baseman Matt LaPorta started the inning off with a line-drive single to left field. With two outs, and LaPorta on third base, Spilborghs doubled to left field, bringing in LaPorta for the first run of the game. A single to center field by Clippers’ catcher Luke Carlin then plated Spilborghs to give Columbus a 2-0 lead after an inning and a half.

A bases-loaded walk by McAllister brought home the Mud Hens first run of the game.

In the top of the fourth inning, Columbus put a lot of distance between themselves and Toledo.

With the bases loaded, Carlin singled to center field, plating two of the Columbus runners on base. A sacrifice fly to left field by Clippers’  shortstop Gregorio Petit scored Spilborghs. A triple by Clippers second baseman Cord Phelps drove in another run, and Phelps scored when Columbus’  next batter, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, flied out to left field.

Columbus added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning on a Chisenhall double and a bases-loaded walk.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Mud Hens scored three runs to get within six runs, trailing 10-4, but Columbus added a run in both the top of the eighth inning and the top of the ninth inning to increase its lead.

Columbus and Toledo will play the second game of a three-game series in Toledo on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Andrew Holleran is a third-year journalism student at The Ohio State University. You can follow him on Twitter @andrewjholleran or reach him via e-mail at holleran.9@buckeyemail.osu.edu.