Coop Scoop

Casey Crosby to start for Tigers Friday

LHP Casey Crosby will be called up to Detroit to start for the Tigers on Friday against the New York Yankees at Comerica Park. Crosby will take the spot of Doug Fister, who was placed on the disabled list retroactive to May 29 with a left side strain.

Here are some numbers for Crosby while pitching for the Mud Hens ...

• Crosby is 4-2 with a 4.26 ERA in nine starts for Toledo. He has allowed 43 hits in 50.2 innings of work. He is tied for fifth in the International League with 57 strikeouts but also has 27 walks.
• Crosby lost his first two starts for the Hens, but has not lost since April 15. He is 4-0 with three no-decisions in that span.
• Crosby has shown improvement in May. After posting a 2-2 record and 5.00 ERA in April, the lefty is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in five starts this month. Opponents hit .280 against Crosby in April and .191 in May.
• Crosby has posted a "quality start" by allowing three earned runs or fewer while covering at least six innings in four of his last six starts.
• Crosby's last two starts, against Syracuse at home May 20 and at Pawtucket May 26 have been especially impressive. In those two starts he allowed just five hits and one walk in 15 innings, striking out 16 (including 10 whiffs against the PawSox).

Here are links to a few recent stories and blog posts on Crosby. ...

• Click here to read an inside look at his May 3 start at home against Pawtucket (where he had seven walks and nine strikeouts).
• Click here to read the game story from Crosby's May 20 start against Syracuse.
• Click here to read the in-game blog of his May 20 start at home against Syracuse.

Here are a few notes from Crosby's May 20 start against Syracuse that I didn't transcribe ...

• First, sorry there were no pitch speeds. The numbers were not shown on the Fifth Third Field scoreboard that day.
• Crosby's line included 101 pitches, 64 of which were strikes. He had several quick, clean innings (third inning: 8 pitches, 7 strikes; eighth inning: 7 pitches, 7 strikes), but gave up a home run to start the game and a run in the seventh (21 pitches, 12 strikes).
• Crosby threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of the 29 batters he faced, and got ahead 0-2 to eight of them (four of which ended in strikeouts).
• Crosby reached a 2-0 count to just three batters and retired all three hitters. He reached a three-ball count just five times and did not walk a batter. In fact, the first three batters who reached a three-ball count all made outs. The final two game in the seventh and resulted in a double (by Mark Teahen, who eventually scored) and a two-out single (after Teahen had scored).
• After giving up the game-opening home run to Corey Brown, Crosby retired the next seven batters in a row. After a one-out single, Crosby picked that runner off first and retired the six batters who followed.

In terms of the International League leaders, Crosby ranks fifth in the league with 57 strikeouts and is third in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.13.

For those of you guessing on the Raburn transaction

The news following Detroit's loss to Boston on Tuesday was that Ryan Raburn was optioned to Toledo following the game, and a corresponding move would be announced Wednesday.

Well, for those of you looking for options on the Mud Hens roster, here is a quick look at how several Mud Hens have fared recently. I'll also include whether or not that player is on the 40-man roster, although that's not essential (the Tigers currently are at 39) ...

• 1B/DH Brad Eldred (not on 40-man) has hit .324 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and nine runs scored in his last 10 games. On the season Eldred is hitting .315 (third-best in the International League) and leads the IL with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs.
• IF/OF Justin Henry (not on 40-man) has cooled off recently, batting .256 with no homers, two RBIs and six runs scored in his last 10 games. On the season Henry is hitting .313 (fourth in the IL) with a .412 on-base percentage. Henry also is versatile, having played second base, third base, and all three outfield positions.
• IF/OF Eric Patterson (not on 40-man) has hit just .167 in his last nine games but did have a three-run homer in Tuesday's loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. On the season Patterson is batting .244 and does have 33 walks in 48 games.
• C Omir Santos has played in just two of the Mud Hens' last 10 games after suffering a batting practice injury to his right forearm on May 20. Santos went 2-for-8 in those two contests. For the season he is batting .310 with no home runs and nine RBIs in 23 games.
• 1B Ryan Strieby (not on 40-man) has really struggled at the plate, going 1-for-29 in his last nine games. On the season Strieby is batting .202 with six homers and 35 RBIs.
• OF Matt Young (not on 40-man) has batted just .206 in his last 10 games with a homer, three RBIs and six runs scored. On the season Young is hitting .262 with 12 stolen bases and a .427 on-base percentage that is second-best in the IL thanks in part to 42 walks, also second-best in the league.

Going strictly off the raw numbers, I would say Eldred is the most likely candidate. But in case the Tigers are thinking about a pitcher instead of a hitter ...

• LHP Casey Crosby (on the 40-man) has been impressive in his last two starts, allowing just nine hits and one walk in 15 innings while fanning 16 in that period. This season Crosby is 4-2 with a 4.26 ERA.
• LHP Andy Oliver (on the 40-man) has lost his last two starts, giving up 14 hits and seven walks in just 8.1 innings. For the season Oliver is 3-4 with a 4.44 ERA.
• RHP Jacob Turner (on the 40-man) has given up 10 hits and five walks in his last 12.2 innings. On the season Turner is 0-0 with a 5.00 ERA in three starts for the Mud Hens.
• Looking at the rest of the field ... RHP Chris Bootcheck blew a save Tuesday after having four scoreless one-inning outings prior to that. Would he have pitched Tuesday if he were being called up? I'd say no. ... LHP Darin Downs has a 3.38 ERA in May and a 3.06 ERA for the season, and lefties are batting .150 against him. ... LHP Matt Hoffman has an 8.10 ERA for the season. ... RHP Jose Ortega has a 3.96 ERA but has issued 25 walks in 25 innings. ... LHP Adam Wilk just pitched Tuesday (see Bootcheck above). Bootcheck and Downs are not on the 40-man roster, while Hoffman, Ortega and Wilk are on the 40-man.

The answer? All I have is guesses ... Unless the Tigers are going outside the organization (claiming someone off waivers?), or calling up someone directly from Double-A Erie (and has that happened before? You betcha ...), I would guess ... well, the numbers are pretty clear, aren't they?

UPDATE: Well, forget the numbers. Wednesday morning the Tigers announced that they have purchased the contract of C Omir Santos from Toledo.

So, a little more detail on Santos, who has played in just two games since May 18 after hurting his right forearm during batting practice on Sunday, May 20 (he was scratched from the lineup that day) ...

Santos is hitting .310 in 23 games with the Mud Hens this season. He has no home runs but does have seven doubles and a triple -- yes, a triple -- among his 23 hits. Santos has nine RBIs and seven runs scored.

Defensively, Santos has made three errors and has a pair of passed balls in 23 games behind the plate. He has thrown out 6-of-30 would-be base-stealers this season (20 percent).

Even an "off day" isn't a day off ...

The Mud Hens have a scheduled off day Wednesday before beginning an eight-day road trip Thursday with the first of four games at Pawtucket.

But that doesn't mean there wasn't activity for the Mud Hens on Wednesday.

After Tuesday's loss at Cleveland, the parent Tigers purchased the contract of OF Quintin Berry from the Mud Hens. Berry will fill the role of Austin Jackson, who seemed poised to return to the Detroit lineup before suffering a setback in batting practice before the game.

Here are the raw numbers for Berry this season in Toledo: He hit .270 in 39 games with no home runs and 11 RBIs. He ranks second in the International League in stolen bases with 19 and has been caught three times.

Berry signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers this off season. He originally signed with Philadelphia after he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 draft and also has played in the San Diego and Cincinnati organizations. He's 27 years old, but this was his first everyday experience in Triple-A -- he had played in just four games with Triple-A Louisville before this season.

Obviously the name of Berry's game is speed. Twice he has stolen more than 50 bases in a season (55 for Lo-A Lakewood in the South Atlantic League in 2007, 51 for Hi-A Clearwater in the Florida State League in 2008), and he led the Double-A Southern League with 40 thefts last season.

It's clear from his stats that he's not a power hitter. Of his 43 hits, only eight are for extra bases -- all doubles. He has a .368 on-base percentage thanks to 22 walks and three hit by pitch, but the most disturbing offensive number is 46 strikeouts, which is third on the team.

Defensively he uses his speed to catch balls that many other outfielders can't reach. He does have a pair of errors, and his arm is average -- he has only one assist.

To make room for Berry on the 40-man roster, the Tigers designated RHP Collin Balester for assignment. Balester, who came to Detroit from Washington in trade for RHP Ryan Perry, was 2-0 with a 6.50 ERA with the Tigers. Balester allowed just 14 hits in 18 innings but also had 11 walks to go with 12 strikeouts in that span.

Balester must clear waivers before he could possibly join the Mud Hens.

Hens game blog -- May 22, 2012

Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens are at Fifth Third Field for the final game of the series against Syracuse, not to mention the final game of the homestand and the third and final morning game of the year. The game starts at 10:30 a.m., so I’ll get the LIVE blog started right now. The newest posts are at the bottom, so refresh frequently. Here we go!

10:00 a.m. – Doing my best to catch up … have I mentioned I’m not much of a morning person? Lineups first, then links to stories leading up to first pitch.

10:05 a.m. -- The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin ... Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Justin Henry at 2B, Brad Eldred at 1B, Eric Patterson at DH, Matt Young in RF, Bryan Holaday at C, Audy Ciriaco at 3B, Jeff Frazier in LF, Argenis Diaz at SS and LHP Andy Oliver as the starting pitcher. Syracuse lineup is next ...

10:10 a.m. -- The Syracuse lineup of manager Tony Beasley ... Leading off and playing DH is Corey Brown, followed by Josh Johnson at SS, Jarrett Hoffpauir at 3B, Xavier Paul in RF, Brett Carroll in CF, Carlos Rivero at 1B, Jason Michaels in LF, Seth Bynum at SS, James Skelton at C and RHP Mitch Atkins as the starting pitcher.

10:18 a.m. -- OK, a few notes ... The Mud Hens made a roster move today as IF Danny Worth was promoted to Detroit. He takes the roster spot of Ryan Raburn, who was placed on the bereavement list. The Hens did not add a player, because Raburn is expected to be gone only a short time.

10:24 a.m. -- A few links before we get started ... first, click here to read a story I wrote about one of the umpires for today's game, Holland native Brad Myers. Click here to read the game story from Monday's contest, and click here to view the photo gallery from Monday's game, with photos courtesy of Jetta Fraser. Enjoy!

10:30 a.m. -- For those of you asking, it's merely a day off for Ryan Strieby. It's the first game he will NOT play in this season -- barring an injury or pinch-hitting appearance, obviously. Game starts in moments!

10:37 a.m. -- Mud Hens starter Andy Oliver did give up two hits in the first inning, but he also picked off a baserunner and also had a strikeout -- of Corey Brown, who had led off the past two games with home runs. Oliver threw 14 pitches, 11 of which were strikes. His fastball sat at 93-94 mph (one at 92, two at 93, four at 94, one at 95), while his breaking ball sat in a range around 86 mph (one at 84, one at 85, three at 86, one at 87). No score as the Hens come to bat in the bottom of the first.

10:44 a.m. -- Syracuse starter Mitch Atkins dismissed the Hens in order in the bottom of the first inning, using just nine pitches to get the job done. Five of those pitches were strikes. Atkins' fastball sat in the 88-89 mph range (two at 88, three at 89, one at 90) while his breaking ball sat at 85-86 mph (one at 85, two at 86). No score, end of the first.

11:03 a.m. -- The Chiefs send eight batters to the plate and score four times, three of them coming home on a three-run homer by Corey Brown -- his third in three days against the Hens. Here's the biggest problem for Oliver: He just isn't missing many bats. He has thrown 48 pitches through the first two innings, with 36 of them strikes. Of those 36 strikes, there have been just five swings-and-misses and just eight that were taken for strikes. That means a bunch of pitches fouled off -- and several hit hard, including Brown's line-drive home run. The Hens come to the plate in the second, trailing 4-0.

11:09 a.m. -- The buzzard's luck for the Mud Hens in the second. Leadoff hitter Eric Patterson singled, then was running a 1-1 pitch to Matt Young. Young put the ball in play -- on a soft drive to Syracuse shortstop Seth Bynum, who threw to first to complete an easy double play. The Chiefs lead 4-0 as we had to the third.

11:19 a.m. -- Andy Oliver is back on track in the third, striking out two. He hit a batter and threw a wild pitch, but he wasn't "wild," if you know what I mean. He came inside to a left-handed hitter ... and just barely hit him. The wild pitch is a breaking ball in the dirt that we often see pitchers throw. I think the zero walks through three innings is more indicative of his control to this point. Oliver has thrown 59 pitches through the first three innings, 43 for strikes (72.8 percent). Hens still trail 4-0 as they come to bat in the bottom of the third.

11:26 a.m. -- Bad news so far for the Hens offense ... Just one hit through the first three innings off Syracuse starter Mitch Atkins. If that isn't bad enough, Atkins has thrown just 34 pitches so far, 19 of which were strikes. With a pitch count that low, Atkins can go a LONG way in this game ... perhaps even all of the way, if he stays economical with his pitches. Still 4-0 Chiefs as we head to the fourth.

11:31 a.m. -- Oliver retires the Chiefs quickly in the fourth, using just nine pitches to record a pair of strikeouts and a lazy fly ball. Oliver continues to throw strikes, finding the strike zone with 50 of 68 pitches. Hens to bat in the bottom of the fourth, still trailing 4-0.

11:37 a.m. -- The T-Town Dragsters bust out a new tune ... "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepson is the tune du jour. Back to baseball, as we head to the fifth with the score still 4-0 Syracuse.

11:54 a.m. -- Racing With the Stars update ... Kitty Holmes led through the final turn, but started "high-stepping" as she approached the finish line and was caught and passed by Jim Flealand. Lesson for all of us: The race isn't over until it's over. Back to baseball ...

12:10 p.m. -- Andy Oliver leaves after giving up a run and two runners on base in the sixth. Oliver threw 97 pitches, 66 for strikes, and allowed nine hits, one walk, one hit batsman and one wild pitch. Ryan Robowski makes his 2012 debut with the Hens in relief of Oliver. Syracuse now leading 5-0 and still batting in the sixth.

12:18 p.m. -- Not a very auspicious debut for Ryan Robowski, who walks the first two batters he faced -- the eighth and ninth hitters, one of whom was a left-handed hitter -- and then gave up a two-run single to another left-handed hitter, Corey Brown. When Robowski walked his third hitter, his day was done as Rob Waite comes on in relief with the bases loaded, two outs, and Syracuse now leading 7-0.

12:53 p.m. -- Well, the Mud Hens bullpen has restored order to a degree -- Rob Waite got the Hens out of the sixth and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, while Jose Ortega retired the Chiefs without incident in the eighth. But Toledo still has only two hits and has been shut out as it comes to bat in the bottom of the eighth, trailing 7-0.

1:14 p.m. -- Last bats for the Mud Hens as they try to avoid being shut out for the first time this season. Toledo trails Syracuse 7-0 as Brad Eldred leads off with a bad-hop single. We shall see if the Hens can avoid the shutout ...

1:19 p.m. -- The answer is no as Toledo fails to score in the bottom of the ninth in a 7-0 loss to Syracuse. The Hens have the day off Wednesday, then begin a road trip in Pawtucket Thursday. I'm heading to the clubhouse, so I'll close the blog now. Thanks for following along!

Hens game blog -- May 21, 2012

Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens are at Fifth Third Field for the third game of the series against Syracuse, and the second morning game of the year. The game starts at 10:30 a.m., so I’ll get the LIVE blog started right now. The newest posts are at the bottom, so refresh frequently. Here we go!

10:00 a.m. – Sorry, these morning games are busy times. Lineups first, then links to stories leading up to first pitch.

10:05 a.m. -- The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin ... Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Justin Henry at 2B, Ryan Strieby at 1B, Brad Eldred at DH, Eric Patterson in LF, Danny Worth at SS, Matt Young in RF, Audy Ciriaco at 3B, Bryan Holaday at C and RHP Thad Weber as the starting pitcher. Syracuse lineup in a moment ...

10:10 a.m. -- The Syracuse lineup of manager Tony Beasley ... Leading off and playing CF is Corey Brown, followed by Jarrett Hoffpauir at 3B, Mark Teahen at 1B, Xavier Paul at LF, Brett Carroll in RF, Jim Negrych at 2B, Carlos Rivero at DH, James Skelton at C, Josh Johnson at SS and RHP Tanner Roark as the starting pitcher.

10:16 a.m. -- A few links before I make a quick television appearance ... Click here to read the game story from Sunday's come-from-behind victory. Click here to view the photo gallery from the contest, courtesy of Jetta Fraser. And click here to read the in-game blog from Sunday's contest.

10:25 a.m. -- Not a lot of time for notes, but here is one ... Manager Phil Nevin said C Omir Santos is available for today's game, although Bryan Holaday will do the catching today. Game on!

10:36 a.m. -- The top of the first inning was a replay of Sunday's game as Syracuse's Corey Brown stroked the game's first pitch over the fence in right-center for a home run. Toledo starter Thad Weber also gave up a single, but a double play erased the baserunner. Weber threw 13 pitches in the first inning, eight of which were strikes. One of his fastballs was clocked at 95 mph, but for the most part it sat at 90-92 mph (two at 90, two at 91, one at 92). His breaking pitches sat at 83 mph (one at 82, four at 83). The Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the first, trailing 1-0.

10:44 a.m. -- Syracuse starter Tanner Roark gave up a leadoff single to Quintin Berry but got a double play off the bat of Ryan Strieby to end the inning. Roark needed just seven pitches, five of which were strikes, to finish off the inning. Roark threw one fastball at 94, but mostly the fastball sat at 88-89 mph (one at 88, two at 89). Roark threw one curveball at 78 mph and a pair of breaking balls at 81-82 mph (one at 81, one at 82). Syracuse leads 1-0 at the end of the first.

11:01 a.m. -- Mud Hens starter Thad Weber has settled down following the home run to open the game. He got a double play on a hit-and-run line drive, then retired the following batters in a row -- three on strikeouts. He also has thrown just 35 pitches through the first three innings, which is a pace that will take him deep into the contest. Hens come to bat in the bottom of the third, still trailing 1-0.

11:16 a.m. -- The Mud Hens gave themselves a chance in the third but did not score. Bryan Holaday lined a two-out double, and Quintin Berry was hit by a pitch, but Justin Henry struck out to end the inning. Still 1-0 Mud Hens trail after three innings.

11:31 a.m. -- Syracuse pays the price for the "contact" play, having a runner thrown out trying to score on a ground ball back to the mound. Brett Carroll, who was on third base with one out, was caught in a rundown, and the Chiefs weren't able to score. The Mud Hen offense is struggling, but Toledo starter Thad Weber is keeping them in the game. Hens bat in the bottom of the fifth, still trailing 1-0.

11:47 a.m. -- Racing With the Stars update ... Jim Flealand and Kitty Holmes seem to be talking to one another as they raced, and as they got near the finish line Holmes seemed to lean too early, allowing Flealand to win the contest by a nose. Back to baseball ...

11:59 a.m. -- Syracuse gets a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, which is big in this close game. At 1-0, the feeling is that you can always find a way to scratch out a run and tie the contest. Now the Hens need three to tie things, which means the offense needs to get rolling. Two Toledo errors certainly didn't help, but both Chiefs runs were earned. The Hens come to bat in the bottom of the sixth, trailing 3-0.

12:14 p.m. -- The Mud Hens squander an opportunity to get back into the contest, leaving the bases loaded. What's worse, the bases were loaded when Syracuse reliever Austin Bibens-Dirkx hit two batters and walked another. His 3-1 pitch to the Hens' Matt Young was low and outside -- but called a strike to run the count full, and Young swung at a high fastball to strike out and end the threat. We move to the seventh with the score still 3-0 Syracuse.

12:23 p.m. -- Reliever Luis Marte came on in the seventh and set down the Chiefs on just seven pitches, five of which were strikes. There seems to be no stirring in the Mud Hens bullpen, so I'll wait until Marte is finished to give pitch speeds. Teaser: Fastest fastball was 92. Toledo comes to bat in the bottom of the seventh still trailing Syracuse 3-0.

12:35 p.m. -- The Mud Hens finally do score a run, but they are leaving a lot of potential runs unscored. In the seventh they had a runner on first and no one out, then had two one with one out ... and only scored one run. Here's a crazy one for you: In the last three innings the Mud Hens have not collected a single hit, yet have managed to score a run and leave SIX runners on base. Toledo collected three walks, two hit batsmen, an error and a wild pitch but managed just a single run. Syracuse coming to bat in the eighth leading 3-1.

12:46 p.m. -- Luis Marte gave up a walk in the eighth but otherwise had no trouble retiring the Chiefs. But there's no stirring in the Mud Hens bullpen, so it looks as if Marte will continue on in this contest. Toledo batting and still trailing, 3-1.

1:04 p.m. -- Marte gave up a single to the leadoff man, and that baserunner eventually reached third base with one out, but Marte kept Syracuse off the scoreboard. His final line was three innings of work with one hit and one walk to go with a pair of strikeouts. Since the game is almost over -- Hens are coming up in the bottom of the ninth, trailing 3-1 -- I'm going to close out the game, and I promise to give you a look at Marte a little after the game is over. Sorry to be a tease ...

1:15 p.m. -- The Hens are retired without incident in the ninth and suffer a 3-1 loss to Syracuse. Heading to the clubhouse, so I'm closing the blog. Thanks for following along!

Hens game blog -- May 20, 2012

Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens are at Fifth Third Field for the second game of the series against Syracuse. The game starts at 2 p.m., so I’ll get the LIVE blog started right now. The newest posts are at the bottom, so refresh frequently. Here we go!

1:00 p.m. – Back after a couple of days away … Let’s get right to work with lineups, notes and links.

1:05 p.m. -- The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin ... Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Justin Henry at 2B, Ryan Strieby at 1B, Eric Patterson at DH, Danny Worth at 2B, Matt Young in RF, Jeff Frazier at LF, Bryan Holaday at C, Argenis Diaz at SS and LHP Casey Crosby as the starting pitcher. Syracuse lineup in a moment ...

1:10 p.m. -- The Syracuse lineup of manager Tony Beasley ... Leading off and playing CF is Corey Brown, followed by Jarrett Hoffpauir at 2B, Mark Teahen at 1B, Xavier Paul at DH, Brett Carroll in RF, Carlos Rivero at 3B, Jason Michael in LF, Seth Bynum at SS, Jeff Howell at C and RHP Yunesky Maya as the starting pitcher.

1:18 p.m. -- OK, a few notes ... The Mud Hens made a roster move today, adding LHP Ryan Robowski to the roster and putting LHP Fu-Te Ni on the disabled list when a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) sprain. Robowski was NOT here when I was in the clubhouse but is expected to join the team Monday morning.

1:24 p.m. -- Need to sneak a little pizza ... I'll be back in a moment with more notes and a few links, too ...

1:33 p.m. -- There was a late lineup change for the Mud Hens today ... C Omir Santos was in the original lineup but was scratched because of a batting practice injury. Santos had a wrap on his right forearm and seemed OK. C Bryan Holaday took Santos' spot in the lineup.

1:40 p.m. -- Well, a link or two as we get ready, courtesy of The Blade's David Briggs ... Click here to read the game story from Saturday's contest against Syracuse. Click here to read his notebook, which features Danny Worth. Enjoy!

1:46 p.m. -- Jinkies, I forgot the link to the photos from Saturday's game, which are courtesy of The Blade's Andy Morrison.

1:55 p.m. -- We're close to first pitch ... Back in a moment ...

2:04 p.m. -- A head's up to those who like pitch speeds in analyzing pitchers ... they are not showing up on the scoreboard. I'll give you what I can give you in pitches/strikes and such, but speeds are off the table. Sorry about that.

2:09 p.m. -- LHP Casey Crosby gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Corey Brown, but otherwise set the Chiefs down without incident. Crosby threw 14 pitches, nine of which were strikes. The Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the first inning down 1-0.

2:14 p.m. -- Syracuse starter Yunesky Maya slammed the door shut on the Hens in the bottom of the first inning with one strikeout. Maya threw 14 pitches, nine of which were strikes. No score, end of one.

2:39 p.m. -- There's no score through three innings as Syracuse starter Yunesky Maya has retired the first nine hitters he faced, thanks in part to eight ground-ball outs. He also has been very efficient through the first three innings, throwing just 33 pitches to this point. Syracuse still leads, 1-0.

2:44 p.m. -- We've been told that the crowd for today's game is 9,973 for the 300th sellout in Fifth Third Field history.

2:59 p.m. -- The Mud Hens catch a break, and they turn it into a run in the bottom of the fourth. With Justin Henry on first base with one out, manager Phil Nevin called for a steal on a 1-1 pitch. Syracuse must have smelled a rat, and they called for a pitchout -- but the throw to second was too high, allowing Henry to reach second. Then with two outs Eric Patterson line a 1-2 pitch back up the middle for a clutch RBI single. We're tied through four innings at 1-1.

3:09 p.m. -- Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the fifth with the score still 1-1. Toledo starter Casey Crosby is throwing well to this point, throwing 40 of 64 pitches for strikes. He's getting ahead of hitters to this point, throwing first-pitch strikes to 12-of-18 batters so far (11-of-14 through the first four innings). Even better, Crosby has reached a three-ball count to just three batters so far -- and got outs from all three. Crosby obviously has not issued a walk so far, and has struck out five.

3:25 p.m. -- Both pitches have been outstanding so far ... It's still 1-1 as we head to the seventh. Both Toledo starter Casey Crosby and Syracuse starter Yunesky Maya have thrown just 73 pitches through the first six innings, which means both could finish this contest out. Terrific pitcher's duel.

3:31 p.m. -- Syracuse has scratched out a run in the top of the seventh. Mark Teahen blooped a double down the left-field line, took third on a sacrifice by Xavier Paul (the clean-up hitter and DH), and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brett Carroll. A well-played, well-pitched contest that now sees Syracuse leading 2-1 as the Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

3:51 p.m. -- Toledo's Casey Crosby retires the Chiefs on seven pitches -- all strikes -- in the eighth. With the scoreboard pitch speed activated ... yeesh, seven whopping pitches. A lot of breaking balls by Crosby in the seventh: fastest pitch was 91 mph, two pitches at 89, two curveballs at 79, one at 84 and one at 86. Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the eighth, trailing 2-1.

4:05 p.m. -- Chris Bootcheck comes on in the ninth in relief of Casey Crosby, who was outstanding. Crosby finishes with just five hits and two runs allowed. Most impressive? ZERO walks. At this point Crosby is in line for a hard-luck loss, trailing 2-1 as we head to the ninth inning.

4:11 p.m. -- Bootcheck mows down the Chiefs in the top of the ninth. Here's one of the main reasons I like Bootcheck as a closer: He throws strikes. He's not going to get beat by walking batters. Case in point in the top of the ninth ... Of the 12 pitches Bootcheck threw, 10 were strikes. Last chance for the Hens in the bottom of the ninth, still trailing 2-1.

4:20 p.m. -- HOW ABOUT THAT! The Mud Hens score four times with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to steal a 5-2 win over Syracuse. Several really big at-bats in the game ... nice leadoff at-bat by Justin Henry to get on base, Danny Worth followed with a two-out single to keep things alive, and Matt Young had a clutch two-out single to tie the game, and Brad Eldred slammed the first pitch he saw off the scoreboard in left for a game-winning three-run homer. Hens win, 5-2.

4:26 p.m. -- OK, heading to the clubhouse, so I need to close the blog. Thanks for following along!

Hens game blog -- May 17, 2012

Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens are at Fifth Third Field for their third game of the series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The game starts at 6:30 a.m., so I’ll get the LIVE blog started right now. The newest posts are at the bottom, so refresh frequently. Here we go!

5:30 p.m. – The funny thing about the morning games is that it seems as if it’s a long time between games even though you are playing the next night. At any rate, getting back into the swing with lineups, notes and links.

5:35 p.m. -- The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin ... Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Justin Henry at 2B, Ryan Strieby at 1B, Brad Eldred at DH, Danny Worth at SS, Eric Patterson in LF, Matt Young in RF, Audy Ciriaco at 3B, Bryan Holaday at C and LHP Adam Wilk as the starting pitcher. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup in a moment ...

5:40 p.m. -- The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup of manager Dave Miley ... Leading off and playing 2B is Kevin Russo, followed by Colin Curtis in CF, Steve Pearce at 1B, Jack Cust at DH, Ronnier Mustelier in LF, Brandon Laird at 3B, Francisco Cervelli at C, Cole Garner in RF, Ramiro Pena at SS and RHP Ramon Ortiz as the starting pitcher.

5:47 p.m. -- A few notes, of course ... the first, and most obvious, is that the Tigers made a move Wednesday to call up RHP Brayan Villarreal and send IF Danny Worth to Toledo. Mud Hens manager Phil Nevin said that Worth will play every day while he is in Toledo, but he probably won't stay exclusively at shortstop.

5:56 p.m. -- Nevin also said that LHP Matt Hoffman is close to coming off the disabled list. Hoffman will be evaluated by medical personnel on Friday, and Nevin said Hoffman could return to the active roster as soon as this weekend. Obviously, the Mud Hens will need to make a roster move to accommodate Hoffman. It wouldn't surprise me if a position player would be sent down to Double-A Erie when Hoffman is activated, so the Hens could have 13 pitchers available.

6:04 p.m. -- About to go on the Mud Hens pre-game TV show ... back in a few minutes ...

6:17 p.m. -- OK, back from television ... and yes, I hear all the snickers about me being on TV. I have a face for newspapers, especially a newspaper that doesn't use a photo of its writers. Links are coming up ...

6:24 p.m. -- Click here to read the game story from Wednesday morning's contest. Click here to view the photo gallery of fans at the game. Click here to read the in-game blog from Wednesday's contest.

6:29 p.m. -- We're close to game time, but also wanted to pass along one other link. Click here to read a story about reviving downtown Toledo found in The Atlantic Cities written by Micheline Maynard. Enjoy!

6:38 p.m. -- Adam Wilk gives up a one-out double in the first inning but pitched out of further trouble in the first. Wilk was his usual strike-throwing self, with eight of his 11 pitches going for strikes. His fastball touched 90 mph once, and he struck out Jack Cust with a 69 mph curve (it was a dandy). No score as the Mud Hens come to back in the bottom of the first.

6:44 p.m. -- I thought Wilk worked fast ... and then Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Ramon Ortiz mowed Toledo down on six pitches, five of which were strikes. Ortiz threw almost exclusive fastballs that sat at 89-91 mph (three at 89, two at 91) and one breaking pitch that sat at 84 (sorry, didn't see what it was). End of the first, still no score.

6:51 p.m. -- And yes, this is THAT Ramon Ortiz. He originally was with the Angels from 1999-2004 and has been a part of a number of different organizations: Cincinnati, Washington, Minnesota, Colorado, San Francisco, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs before joining the Yankees this year.

7:00 p.m. -- After two slow games, today the two teams have flown through the first 2 1/2 innings ... it helps, of course, that both pitchers are throwing strikes. Through his first three innings Adam Wilk has thrown 27 of his 38 pitches for strikes, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Ramon Ortiz entered the third inning having thrown just 16 pitches, 13 of which were strikes. No score as the Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the third inning.

7:18 p.m. -- The roof caves in on Adam Wilk in the fourth inning. The leadoff man, Colin Curtis, reached on a slow roller to second base, and Curtis advanced to third on a stolen base-error on the throw to second. But from their Wilk was his own worst enemy, falling behind Steve Pearce 2-0 and eventually giving up an RBI single, walking Jack Cust (actually a good battle by Cust, working Wilk for the walk), and then falling behind Ronnier Mustalier 2-0 (while Mustalier was looking to bunt) and giving up a fat pitch that Mustalier slammed against the bricks at the base of the left-field scoreboard for a three-run homer. Mud Hens now trail 4-0 as they come to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

7:30 p.m. -- Well, the perfect game is gone for Yankees starter Ramon Ortiz, but the no-hitter is still intact through four innings. Ortiz already has struck out four, and the only Mud Hens baserunner came on a two-out walk that Ryan Strieby drew in the fourth. Still Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 4, Mud Hens 0 as we move to the fifth.

7:47 p.m. -- The Mud Hens avoid the no-hitter thanks to a one-out single to right by Eric Patterson in the fifth. But the Yankees' Ramon Ortiz continues to dominate the Mud Hens with an economy of pitches ... so far Ortiz has thrown just 58 pitches (41 of which have been strikes) with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Still Yankees 4, Mud Hens 0.

7:54 p.m. -- Racing With the Stars update ... All three races basically were neck-and-neck until the final turn around third base, when Kitty Holmes (who had the inside position) took advantage and claimed the narrow victory. Back to baseball ...

7:57 p.m. -- Here's a subtlety of the game that doesn't often get noticed ... Adam Wilk came into the sixth inning having thrown 86 pitches, which meant the sixth could have potentially been his final inning because of his pitch count. But it took Wilk just four pitches to retire the Yankees in the sixth, putting him at 90 pitches through six -- and meaning he can cover at least one more inning. It's a little thing that will help the Mud Hens bullpen. Toledo comes to bat in the bottom of the sixth, still trailing 4-0.

8:07 p.m. -- Not a good sign that the "good" news for the Mud Hens offense is that they finally made Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Ramon Ortiz throw some pitches to retire Toledo in the sixth. Ortiz threw 19 pitches in the sixth to push his total to 82 for the game. The bad news? After a leadoff single by Bryan Holaday, Ortiz struck out the first three batters in the Hens lineup. Ortiz now has eight strikeouts through six innings -- easily a season high -- and has allowed just two hits in shutting out the Hens. We move to the seventh with the Yankees leading, 4-0.

8:20 p.m. -- Crazy game, baseball. If you take away the first four batters of the fourth inning, it's an outstanding effort for Toledo starter Adam Wilk. There were arguably two mistakes by Wilk: falling behind Steve Pearce 2-0 that allowed Pearce to hit a hard grounder for a single, and falling behind Ronnier Mustelier 2-0 -- when Mustelier was trying to sacrifice -- and allowing Mustelier to swing the bat. Mustelier slammed a three-run homer to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre some breathing room, and the Yankees still lead 4-0 as we enter the eighth.

8:41 p.m. -- Well, the Mud Hens make things interesting -- sort of. They avoid being shut out with a run in the eighth, but it could have been a lot more. Toledo had two on and only one out in the eighth but stranded both runners. On to the ninth, with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre leading 4-1.

8:59 p.m. -- That's a wrap ... both teams are held off the board in the ninth, although Toledo did put two more runners on base thanks to walks. Your final is Yankees 4, Mud Hens 1. Heading to the clubhouse, so I'm going to close the blog. Thanks for following along!

Mud Hen Mindbender – May 17

In an effort to have a little fun with the Coop Scoop blog, I am producing a (mostly) daily trivia quiz called "Mud Hen Mindbender." No prize; this is just a way to get your morning moving. Ready? Here we go ...

Mud Hens IF Justin Henry leads the International League with a .347 batting average thanks to his hot hitting in May. Who was the last Mud Hen to lead the IL in batting average?

The answer to Friday’s question? Mud Hens DH Brad Eldred leads the International League with 15 home runs after hitting one in Thursday’s win over Charlotte. I have a chart that indicates which IL player was the first to reach 20 home runs each season since 1987, and between 2006 and 2011 players from only THREE teams make the list. Which three IL teams are represented? Toledo is one, and the others are Durham and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Click on this link and scroll to the bottom to see the complete list.

Do you think you know the answer to today’s question? Click on the "comments" link below and give us your answer! I'll post the answer tomorrow along with another trivia question. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Hens game blog -- May 16, 2012

Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens are at Fifth Third Field for their first morning game of the season and their second of four games against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The game starts at 10:30 a.m., so I’ll get the LIVE blog started right now. The newest posts are at the bottom, so refresh frequently. Here we go!

9:30 a.m. – Well, my computer just killed me. It wanted to restart, I didn’t want it to … and it won. Lost a lot of work, so starting from scratch. Be patient, please.

9:35 a.m. -- The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin ... Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Justin Henry at 3B, Ryan Strieby at DH, Brad Eldred at 1B, Audy Ciriaco at SS, Matt Young in RF, Omir Santos at C, Jeff Frazier in LF, Brent Dlugach at 2B and LHP Andy Oliver as the starting pitcher. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup in a moment ...

9:40 a.m. -- The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup of manager Dave Miley ... Leading off and playing SS is Eduardo Nunez, followed by Ramiro Pena at 2B, Kevin Russo in LF, Steve Pearce at DH, Cole Garner in RF, Brandon Laird at 1B, Ronnier Mustelier at 3B, Gustavo Molina at C, Colin Curtis in CF and RHP D.J. Mitchell as the starting pitcher.

9:49 a.m. -- A few links to get us rolling ... First, click here to read the game story from Tuesday's victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Second, click here to view the photo gallery from the contest, courtesy of Lori King.

10:02 a.m. -- Just received a Tweet regarding Justin Henry ... Right now he is on fire, hitting .425 in his last 20 games with 10 runs scored and eight RBIs. Currently Henry leads the International League with a .343 season's batting average, and he's seeing and hitting the ball very well right now. Henry grew in stature in Detroit's organization with a strong winter-league performance, and he was invited to spring training with the Tigers even though he isn't on Detroit's 40-man roster. His biggest strength? His versatility, because he can play all of the infield and outfield positions. Think of Henry as a potential Donny Kelly.

10:18 a.m. -- Getting ready for the game here in a few moments ... Andy Oliver looks to continue his strong work. First pitch in a few minutes ...

10:32 a.m. -- Here we go ...

10:41 a.m. -- A warning: I'm getting killed by the scoreboard pitch-speed indicator. At this point Oliver has thrown 18 pitches, and I have readings for roughly half of them. So you've been warmed.

10:44 a.m. -- Andy Oliver gets into a jam with an infield single (he didn't cover first base quickly enough on a grounder to first), then walked the next batter. He seemed poised to get into deeper trouble when he fell behind the next batter, Steve Pearce, with a 3-0 count. But Oliver fought back to fill the count, then saw Pearce foul three full-count pitches off before getting the inning-ending double play. Oliver threw 19 pitches in the first, 12 of which were strikes. His fastball sat in the 93-94 mph range, while his cutter sat at 91. His change-up sat at 87 mph, and his slider sat at 83-84 mph. No score as the Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the first.

10:58 a.m. -- Yankees starter D.J. Mitchell struggled with his command in the first inning but avoided trouble despite a pair of walks. Mitchell threw 24 pitches, evenly split between 12 balls and 12 strikes. Mitchell had a good breaking ball that ranged between 73 and 79 mph and had good break. His fastball sat only in the high 80s, and never was faster than 88 mph (once) and sat in the 86-87 mph range. No score as we head to the second.

11:06 a.m. -- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again gets two batters on and again fails to score. Yankees radio voice Mike Vander Woude said the Yankees are now 3-for-31 when batting with runners in scoring position and have left 30 runners on base. That's considered not good.

11:22 a.m. -- The Mud Hens find a way to "steal" a run in the second inning. Matt Young singles, then is running on a hit-and-run when Omir Santos hit a single up the middle that bounced off the glove of Yankees 2B Ramiro Pena that allowed Young to race to throw -- smart bit of baserunning by Young, by the way. On a 3-2 pitch to the next hitter, Jeff Frazier, Santos took off for second (Frazier was called out on strikes, for the record). The Yankees threw down to second, then seemed to wait to see if Young would break for home. Just when Pena ran towards to Santos to tag him out, Young raced home and beat the throw to the plate to score the run. As we move to the third it's now Mud Hens 1, Yankees 0.

11:36 a.m. -- For those of you wondering, Matt Young does NOT get a steal of home on that play because of the caught stealing of Omir Santos.

11:50 a.m. -- Andy Oliver pitches out of a little jam in the fourth, stranding another baserunner in scoring position. Oliver has held SWB scoreless through his first four inning, allowing just three hits and three walks while fanning six. Oliver is at 80 pitches, 48 of which have been strikes. Mud Hens batting in the bottom of the fourth, leading 1-0.

12:01 p.m. The T-Town Dragsters entertain by dancing to "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus, and there's a first ... a number of young fans in the standings dance along with them. I guess that makes Fifth Third Field the dance capitol of northwest Ohio. Still Mud Hens 1, Yankees 0 after four.

12:11 p.m. -- Andy Oliver has a 1-2-3 fifth inning, and he needed it for his pitch count ... Oliver has thrown 96 pitches so far, 58 for strikes. He has given up just three hits so far, walking three and striking out eight. At this point (Hens are batting with two outs in the fifth), no one is warming up in the Toledo bullpen, so expect Oliver to return for one more inning of work.

12:17 p.m. -- By the way, this isn't the no-brainer decision that it might appear to be. Oliver will be facing the heart of the order, starting with third batter Kevin Russo. And with a one-run game, you don't want to give the Yankees any sign of life -- or make things any more difficult for a reliever entering the game. It's 1-0 Mud Hens as we enter the sixth.

12:26 p.m. -- Andy Oliver sees his day's work come to an end after striking out Cole Garner with runners on first and second with no one out. Oliver's outing included just three hits allowed, but four walks and one hit batsman (not to mention a wild pitch). His nine strikeouts tie his season's high. Jose Ortega on in relief, still 1-0 Mud Hens.

12:33 p.m. -- Ortega allows both baserunners to score, and there were two Mud Hens errors -- both on Jeff Frazier on throws to the plate that bounced away from catcher Omir Santos. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre sends eight to the plate and scores three times, two earned runs charged to Oliver. As the Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the sixth, they now trail the Yankees 3-1.

12:43 p.m. -- That sixth inning looms as a big inning for the Mud Hens since they couldn't hold their one-run lead. To make matters worse, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter D.J. Mitchell has settled down after early inning troubles, retiring all but one of the 11 batters he has faced since giving up a single to Justin Henry with one out in the third. And that one batter who reached base did so only because of an error. SWB 3, Mud Hens 1 as we begin the seventh.

12:52 p.m. -- Funny to see LHP Justin Thomas warming up in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre bullpen. The Clay High School graduate already has visited Fifth Third Field once this season. He was here with Pawtucket, Boston's Triple-A club, but the Red Sox placed him on waivers and the New York Yankees claimed him off waivers May 12. Hard for a player who doesn't play in the International League's West Division to appear at Fifth Third Field more than once in a season, since team's from the other divisions only come here once a season. He seems ready to go, so we'll see if he enters the game. Hens batting in the bottom of the seventh trailing the Yankees 3-1.

1:05 p.m. -- Meant to follow-up on a question regarding Justin Henry and the potential of him reaching Detroit. I'd say there's a chance, but remember that the Tigers probably view Henry more as a versatile guy rather than an everday position player. I think he has a chance if he continues to hit the way he has this season. Remember, we're thinking Donny Kelly here more than an everyday player. Another thing to consider is that he doesn't have much Triple-A experience -- just 44 games two years ago and only six last season. Let's put it this way: He has played his way into the conversation, which is a step forward for him.

1:16 p.m. -- Not a very good day for the Yankees' Justin Thomas ... he gave up a double and a walk and the only out he got came on a sacrifice. Manny Delcarmen pitched Thomas out of danger by getting a strikeout (and a caught stealing) to strand a runner at third. We move to the ninth inning and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre still leads 3-1.

1:28 p.m. -- The Mud Hens come to bat in the bottom of the ninth, still trailing 3-1. Just five hits for Toledo at this point, with Brad Eldred leading off. Here we go ...

1:35 p.m. -- Heading to the clubhouse after Mud Hens lose to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 3-1. Thanks for following along!

Hens game blog -- May 15, 2012

Welcome to Coop Scoop coverage of the 2012 season! The Hens are at Fifth Third Field for the first game of their four-game series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The game starts at 6:30 p.m., so I’ll get the LIVE blog started right now. The newest posts are at the bottom, so refresh frequently. Here we go!

5:00 p.m. – Another busy day at Fifth Third Field. Lineups in a moment, followed by a few notes and more. Ready?

5:05 p.m. -- The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin ... Leading off and playing CF is Quintin Berry, followed by Justin Henry at 3B, Ryan Strieby at 1B, Brad Eldred at DH, Eric Patterson in LF, Audy Ciriaco at SS, Matt Young in RF, Brent Dlugach at 2B, Bryan Holaday at C and RHP Thad Weber as the starting pitcher. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup in a moment ...

5:10 p.m. -- The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup of manager Dave Miley ... Leading off and playing SS is Eduardo Nunez, followed by Kevin Russo in LF, Steve Pearce at 1B, Jack Cust at DH, Brandon Laird at 3B, Colin Curtis in CF, Francisco Cervelli at C, Cole Garner in RF, Ramiro Pena at 2B and RHP Dellin Betances as the starting pitcher.

5:16 p.m. -- Not a lot in the way of "new" notes if you were following the Mud Hens on the road. Certainly no moves today. But I'm going to head to the clubhouse right now, and I'll have a report in about 15 minutes. Talk to you then!

5:39 p.m. -- OK, back from the clubhouse ... The first bit of news is regarding Argenis Diaz, who is not with the team. But that's good news, because his wife gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter, late Monday night. Diaz will stay with his wife Tuesday and Wednesday (the birth was in Toledo) and is expected to rejoin the team Thursday.

5:46 p.m. -- The Mud Hens rotation is still a little scrambly because of the doubleheader in Gwinnett Monday. Toledo used RHP Jacob Turner and LHP Casey Crosby Monday, and obviously both will stay in the rotation. For now, here's how things should go for the Hens' rotation -- barring injuries, rainouts and call-ups, obviously: Wednesday morning will be LHP Andy Oliver, followed by LHP Adam Wilk Thursday, LHP Fu-Te Ni Friday, then Turner Saturday in the Syracuse series opener and Crosby Sunday.

5:53 p.m. -- And for those wondering, if the Mud Hens rotation holds together, Ni probably will be the one who leaves the rotation. But that's down the road, and subject to a lot of "ifs."

6:02 p.m. -- Going to sneak a quick meal. Back in a minute.

6:25 p.m. -- OK, that took a little longer than I expected. One other note ... The Mud Hens traveled from Gwinnett to Toledo this morning, which was a pretty direct flight -- Atlanta to Detroit. The Hens landed around noon, so the travel wasn't as bad as it might have been. We'll see how it affects them tonight, and we'll probably also see an effect on Wednesday when the Hens and Yankees play a game that will start at 10:30 a.m. Game on!

6:35 p.m. -- Mud Hens starter Thad Weber rolled through the first inning, retiring all three batters in the first and getting a pair of called third strikes. Weber threw just 10 pitches, eight of which were strikes. His fastball sat at 92-93 mph (one at 92, one at 93) and he seemed to throw a sinking fastball (very effectively) that sat at 90-91 mph (two at 90, one at 91). He threw three curveballs, all at 81 mph, and two change-ups (one at 87, one at 88). No score as the Hens come to bat in the bottom of the first.

6:49 p.m. -- Yankees starter Dellin Betances obviously is talented, as he set down the Hens in the first with three strikeouts. But he also gave up a single and a walk and needed 27 pitches -- only 13 of which were strikes -- to weather the inning. His fastball to the first batter sat at 92, but it warmed up and eventually hit 96. He also has a STRONG change-up that got some swings-and-misses from Toledo hitters. No score, end of the first.

7:05 p.m. -- Errors killed the Mud Hens in the second inning. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scored a run in the second inning, and it didn't have to be -- twice. With runners on first and second with one out, Thad Weber got Francisco Cervelli to hit a tailor-made doubleplayer grounder that SS Audy Ciriaco allowed t roll off his glove for an error. The bases then were loaded, and with two outs Ramiro Pena hit a grounder to second base that should have been the final out of the inning. But Brent Dlugach threw high to second base, and the ball went off the glove of Ciriaco covering second base for another error. Yes, it was only one run. But here are two other problems those errors caused: first, it turned the Yankees' lineup over so that the top of the order will come to the plate in the third, and will get more chances to hit later. Second, the first error caused Weber to throw a total of 15 extra pitches, and the second error cost him a run and four extra pitches. Yankees 1, Mud Hens 0, Toledo coming to bat in the second.

7:29 p.m. -- As the Mud Hens bat in the third inning, the word on Yankees starter Dellin Betances: He sits in the mid-90s with the fastball, and he's got a wicked off-speed pitch. But he doesn't throw enough strikes to be effective ... His 60th pitch was a swing-and-miss by Brad Eldred that gave Betances 30 strikes and 30 balls. For the record, Eldred hammered the next pitch onto the bricks at the base of the left-field scoreboard for a home run, his 16th this season. Mud Hens still batting in the bottom of the third, now leading 3-1.

7:49 p.m. -- Mud Hens starter Thad Weber does his job in the fourth, slamming the door on the Yankees in the fourth inning -- the inning after Toledo had taken the lead with three runs. That can help a team's momentum, especially offensively, because the team gets right back into the dugout and gets to start hitting again. Even better that Weber did it decisively, using just 11 pitches to get the job done. The only down side at this point is that Weber is at 70 pitches, only 45 of which are strikes. Toledo comes to bat in the fourth, leading 3-1.

8:06 p.m. -- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter Dellin Betances is pulled after 3.2 innings of work -- having thrown a whopping 104 pitches, only 50 of which were strikes. Betances allowed six walks in his day's effort, but allowed only three runs -- on the Brad Eldred home run. Yankees reliever Jason Bulger gets the final out of the inning, and we've finished four. Mud Hens 3, SWB 1.

8:38 p.m. -- Well, we are crawling at Fifth Third Field today ... We've just finished the fifth inning, and we've played more than two hours (2:17 as I type this). Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scored a run in the top of the fifth, and the Mud Hens responded with two in the bottom of the fifth. Toledo leads 5-2 as we head to the sixth.

8:46 p.m. -- Mud Hens starter Thad Weber pitches out of a two-on, none-out jam in the sixth, getting a double play to pitch his way out of trouble. Weber's night probably is finished, since he's at 106 pitches at this point (70 strikes, for those who wish to know). Zach Miner is getting warm in the Hens' pen, so he likely will come on to pitch the seventh. Weber has allowed five hits and one walk in six innings, giving up just two runs -- one of which were earned. Weber also struck out six. Good effort by Weber. Still Mud Hens 5, SWB 2.

9:11 p.m. -- This is getting ugly ... The Hens are still batting in the bottom of the seventh inning, having scored three times to lead 8-2 as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre makes a pitching change. We haven't finished the seventh inning, and already there are SIX errors. The Yankees have made two more this inning that have helped produce three more runs. Do walks and generally slow play lead to errors? I don't have any numbers to support this, but I'd guess there's a correlation. If you throw strikes and keep your defense "ready," they will respond. If you throw a lot of pitches and mix balls with strikes, the defense could be caught unprepared.

9:20 p.m. -- Having said that, Toledo's Weber worked quickly and still saw three errors made behind him. So it's just a working theory ...

9:30 p.m. -- Mud Hens reliever Zach Miner gets in trouble in the eighth with a leadoff single and walk, but gets the next three outs to keep the score at Mud Hens 8, Yankees 2. The final out came on a sinking line drive by Colin Curtis that was caught by a diving Quintin Berry. Nice run and dive by Berry on a ball that was hooking away from him.

9:39 p.m. -- The Mud Hens do not score in the bottom of the eighth ... one inning to go. I'm going to start writing the story for Wednesday's paper, so I'm going to assume the Hens will close this one out. It's Mud Hens 8, Yankees 2 as we head to the ninth. Thanks for following along ...