TOLEDO, Ohio – Yariel Gonzalez tallied a home run, a double and five RBI as the Toledo Mud Hens earned an 8-2 victory over the Columbus Clippers on Wednesday at Fifth Third Field.
Gonzalez became the first Toledo (4-9) batter to register five RBI in a single game since Pete Kozma did the same in a 13-0 rout at Louisville on June 26, 2019. In total, Gonzalez has two homers and nine RBI in three starts since joining the Mud Hens from Double-A Erie.
Victor Reyes reached base on all four of his plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with two singles, a walk, a HBP and a run. Renato Núñez finished 2-for-3 with two RBI singles, a HBP and a run, while Juan Centeno went 2-for-4 with a double, a single and a run. Meanwhile, Daz Cameron was 2-for-5 in with an double, an RBI single and a run in his first appearance since completing a three-game rehab stint with Low-A Lakeland.
Wily Peralta made his third start of the season for the Mud Hens and lasted 3.2 scoreless innings, scattering two hits while striking out a pair. Robbie Ross Jr. was credited with his first win of the campaign after allowing an unearned run in 1.1 innings of relief, before Beau Burrows and Buck Farmer combined to throw the final four frames.
The Mud Hens started the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. Núñez was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, and advanced to second when Aderlin Rodriguez grounded a base hit through the right side. Two batters later, Gonzalez brought both runners home with an opposite-field double that one-hopped the wall in right-center.
Toledo proceeded to double its advantage with two more runs an inning later. Centeno hit a leadoff double to the warning track that bounced off the glove of right fielder Daniel Johnson, and scored when Cameron grounded the next pitch through the right side to give the hosts a 3-0 lead. From there, Reyes kept the line moving with a walk that put men on first and second, before Núñez eventually lined a sharp two-out single into left-center to plate Cameron and make it a 4-0 contest.
The Clippers (7-6) got on the scoresheet in the top of the fifth inning. Bradley Zimmer grounded a leadoff single up the middle, and scored all the way from first when Cameron misjudged what would have been an inning-ending fly ball to left-center that cut the deficit to 4-1.
The hosts put the game beyond any doubt with a four-spot in the bottom of the same stanza. Reyes was plunked to start things off, while Isaac Paredes drew a walk to put runners on first and second with nobody down. Núñez then singled into right to plate Reyes to extend the lead to 5-1. After Daniel Pinero was struck by a pitch later in the inning, Gonzalez uncorked a two-out, three-run shot to left to give the Mud Hens an 8-1 cushion.
Columbus tacked on a consolation run in the top of the eighth, and left the bases loaded in its final trip to the plate.
What’s Next:
The Mud Hens and Clippers will resume their six-game series on Thursday at Fifth Third Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Hens Notes:
• With a single in the bottom of the first inning, Victor Reyes extended his hitting streak to eight consecutive games. He has at least one hit in all eight starts since being optioned by Detroit to Toledo.
• Wednesday’s result marks the first time the Hens have allowed fewer than four runs in a single game this season.
• The Hens have tallied 10 or more hits in four of their last six contests.
• Isaac Paredes had his hit streak snapped at seven straight games, though he walked and scored in the bottom of the fifth inning.