12:00 p.m. – The Mud Hens lineup for manager Phil Nevin. ... Leading off and playing CF is Cale Iorg, followed by Jerad Head in LF, Ben Guez in RF, John Lindsey at DH, Danny Dorn at 1B, Audy Ciriaco at SS, Brad Davis at C, Argenis Diaz at 2B, Edgar Corcino at 3B and RHP Brooks Brown as the starting pitcher. Columbus lineup is next ...
12:06 p.m. – The Columbus lineup of manager Mike Sarbaugh ... Leading off and playing LF is Tim Fedroff, followed by Cord Phelps at 2B, Lonnie Chisenhall at DH, Vinny Rottino in RF, Jared Goedert at 1B, Juan Diaz at SS, Gregorio Petit at 3B, Luke Carlin at C, Aaron Cunningham in CF and RHP Cole Cook as the starting pitcher.
12:13 p.m. – A few notes as we prepare for the contest. If you will notice, Justin Henry is not in the starting lineup. As we begin play today his batting average is exactly at .300 ... and it's not going to go under .300, either. For the record, Henry can have one at-bat and stay at .300 for the season, so he may pinch-hit at some point.
12:20 p.m. -- I spoke to manager Phil Nevin before the game, and he had a bit of news ... at this point, he said he and his staff -- hitting coach Leon "Bull" Durham, pitching coach A.J. Sager and trainer Matt Rankin will return next season (unless they get a new job, of course). Congrats to them!
12:26 p.m. -- I asked Nevin if he would be joining the Tigers this year to work as a coach as he did last season, and he said no. Detroit did add Toby Harrah as a coach during the season, and the Tigers didn't add many players, so the coaching staff probably is at the right size.
12:35 p.m. -- A few words about the Clippers, since there may be Indians fans following ... Lonnie Chisenhall is in the starting lineup today. After this game he will join Double-A Akron when the Aeros play in the Double-A playoffs. There also will be other Columbus players called up to Cleveland, but that will be announced AFTER the Indians play today.
12:42 p.m. -- For those of you who may have missed it, click here to read the game story from Sunday's victory over Columbus written by Mark Monroe.
12:49 p.m. -- One last thing before I sneak off for some lunch ... The Mud Hens announced their "Helping Hens Community Service Award" winner for the second straight season, and it was Adam Wilk for the second straight season. Congrats to Adam! Baseball coming up ...
1:06 p.m. -- Columbus scores a run in the first inning off Brooks Brown, as Tim Fedroff lined the first pitch of the game for a single, Brown walked Cord Phelps on four pitches -- the only non-strikes Brown threw in the first -- and Jared Goedert lined a two-out single to left. The Mud Hens' Jerad Head nearly threw out Fredroff at the plate, and the Clippers ran themselves into the final out of the inning when Phelps and Goedert both ended up at second base. Columbus 1, Mud Hens coming to bat in the bottom of the first.
1:17 p.m. -- Mud Hens fail to take advantage of of getting the first two runners on base in the bottom of the first. Cale Iorg hit a strange double to lead off -- it didn't hit the wall in right, but came close -- and Jerad Head walked. But a shallow fly out, a fielder's choice and a three-pitch strikeout. Still Clippers 1, Mud Hens 0 as we head to the second.
1:43 p.m. -- Still 1-0 Columbus as we head to the bottom of the third inning. Toledo starter Brooks Brown has struggled with command at times but otherwise has kept the Clippers at bay. One thing Brown has done well today is get outs in tough situations, allowing Columbus to go just 1-for-6 when batting with a runner in scoring position. Hens need to crank up the offense.
1:59 p.m. -- The luck runs out for Brown in the fourth, as he gives up four hits and a pair of runs in an inning that could have been worse. Brown gave up a pair of singles to start the inning, a sacrifice that moved the runners to second and third, and a two-run double by Luke Carlin. A single put runners on first and third with only one out, but Brown limited the damage after that. Still, Mud Hens trail 3-0 as they come to bat in the bottom of the fourth.
2:10 p.m. -- The final appearance by the T-Town Dragsters this season ... they danced to "Bye Bye Bye " by 'N Sync. Strong efforts by the Dragsters all season.
2:14 p.m. -- The Mud Hens struggling on offense today ... They have had a few opportunities, but Toledo is 0-for-5 when batting with a runner in scoring position. The Hens come to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning, still trailing 3-0.
2:24 p.m. -- The problem with getting old ... take-offs can be painful. I was trying to make a quick get-away when the fifth inning ended, but got a foot caught in a cord. Something less than graceful ... skidded across the room VERY unpoetically, pulled the cord out (to lose my Internet connection), now feeling soreness in my shoulder (where I tried to catch my fall) and my knees (where I actually DID catch my fall). Good news: I don't think there is video available.
2:39 p.m. -- Ben Guez takes advantage of a 1-0 pitch from Clippers reliever David Huff to slam a home run down the left-field line. The home run was the sixth home run of the season for Guez. The Mud Hens avoid the shutout, but they trail 3-1 as Columbus comes to bat in the seventh.
2:49 p.m. -- By the way, should have said this earlier ... many thanks to Mud Hens PR interns Joe Mehling and Matt North for all of their help this season. That is much appreciated, as is their tolerance for my many ideosyncracies. Thanks, guys, and best wishes ...
2:54 p.m. -- Mud Hens scratch out a run in the bottom of the seventh inning off Clippers reliever Matt Langwell. Audy Ciriaco led off with a double down the left-field line, took third on a single by Brad Davis, and scored when Argenis Diaz hit into a double play. We move to the eighth inning with the score Columbus 3, Mud Hens 2.
3:10 p.m. -- Reports from Indianapolis are that former Mud Hen Jeff Larish is playing all nine positions for the Indians today. While that always is fun, here is the NEWS: When Larish took the mound, Indy moved RHP Juan Diaz to second base. If you remember, Diaz stands 6-4 and weighs at least 300 pounds (on a thin day). Not crazy enough for you? Diaz actually had an at-bat, reached on an error, STOLE third base, and scored a run. Do I need to say that those are the first steal and first run scored in Diaz's career?
3:20 p.m. -- How 'bout them Hens? Toledo finds a way to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Jerad Head and John Lindsey drew walks to push Head to second, and Audy Ciriaco lined a two-out RBI double into the right-center gap. Head scored to tie the game, but Lindsey stopped at third (correctly) and was stranded there. We're tied at 3-3 as we head to the ninth.
3:30 p.m. -- Columbus manages to score a run in the top of the ninth off Mud Hens reliever Jose Ortega. Luke Carlin led off with a single, Aaron Cunningham sacrificed him to second, and Tim Fedroff singled Carlin home. Fedroff stole both second and third but was stranded there ... Mud Hens trail 4-3 as they come to bat in the bottom of the ninth.
3:38 p.m. -- Mud Hens get the tying run to second but fail to bring him home ... Columbus wins the Hens' final game of the season by a 4-3 margin. Heading to the clubhouse. Thanks for following along!
4:06 p.m. -- Back from the clubhouse ... One more move. RHP Luke Putkonen has been called up and will rejoin the Tigers, presumably tomorrow.
4:13 p.m. -- Jim Massie of the Columbus Dispatch reporting that the Indians will call up LHP David Huff and add him to the roster. Makes sense when you consider he threw an inning today. If he had not thrown an inning today, you would have thought he would have been done for the season. Instead he gets an inning to keep sharp -- and get the call-up.
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