Coop Scoop

Series Preview – Indianapolis Indians

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Sunday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m. – RHP Sean Gallagher (5-12, 5.14 ERA) vs. RHP Thad Weber (5-10, 5.46 ERA)

Monday, Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m. – RHP Nelson Figueroa (0-1, 2.57 ERA) vs. LHP Fu-Te Ni (5-2, 3.44 ERA)

TWITTER POST: Mud Hens look to avoid clinching losing season & worst 5/3 Field record in franchise history in 2-game series vs. Indianapolis Sunday-Monday

TRIBE TIDBITS: Indianapolis has been the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates since the 2005 season. … Their manager is Dean Treanor, who is in his first season in that position. … The Indians enter this series having lost at Columbus Saturday night and are 5-5 in their last 10 contests. ... Indianapolis enters this series with a 70-66 record and are tied with Louisville for second place in the IL’s West Division, 13 games behind first-place Columbus. The Tribe is five games in front of the Mud Hens in fourth. … Offensively, Indianapolis ranks fifth in the 14-team IL with a .263 team batting average. They have scored 577 runs in 136 games (4.42 runs per game) and rank seventh in the league in that category. … OF Alex Presley (who was promoted to Pittsburgh in July) leads the IL with a .336 batting average, while 1B Matt Hague is eighth with a .308 mark. … OF John Bowker leads the Indians with 15 home runs and 72 RBIs, while Hague is close behind with 12 homers and 71 RBIs. … OF Gorkys Hernandez is hitting .281 and leads the team with 19 stolen bases. ... Indianapolis ranks eighth in the IL with a 4.12 team ERA (Toledo is 11th at 4.24) and the Tribe is ninth in runs allowed with 599. … LHP Justin Wilson leads the team with 10 wins, and his 4.07 ERA is best among the pitchers on the team that would qualify for the league leaderboard. … LHP Brian Burres leads the team with 95 strikeouts, one more than RHP Sean Gallagher and four more than Wilson. … RHP Tim Wood is tied for first in the league with 23 saves.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 10-11 record against Indianapolis, including a 6-5 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with an 80-77 record against the Tribe since 2002, including a 45-33 record at Fifth Third Field since it opened in 2002; Toledo has a winning home record against Indianapolis in each of those years except 2004 and ‘09. … Indianapolis holds a narrow 9-8 lead in the season series, and the two teams have split eight games at Fifth Third Field. … Individually, 1B Ryan Strieby has hit .362 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 17 games against the Indians, while OF Ben Guez has batted .361 with six RBIs in 11 contests. … On the mound, LHP Andy Oliver is 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts vs. Indianapolis. ... As a staff, the Hens have a 2.98 ERA against the Indians. … As a team, Indianapolis has hit just .229 against the Hens so far this year. … On the mound, RHP Jared Hughes is 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in five relief appearances against Toledo. … The Indians have a team ERA of 4.38 against the Mud Hens.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: 2B Carlos Guillen is expected to begin a rehab assignment with the Mud Hens on Monday. … Indians LHP Justin Thomas is a Clay High School graduate who is 6-2 with three saves and a 4.29 ERA in 59 appearances for the Tribe. Thomas leads the IL in games pitched and in holds with 11. … Toledo IF Argenis Diaz played for Indianapolis in both 2009-10, while Hens newcomer Jeff Salazar player for the Indians in 2009. … Mud Hens SS Audy Ciriaco and Indianapolis IF Pedro Ciriaco are brothers.

TOP PROSPECTS: LHP Jeff Locke began this season as Pittsburgh’s eighth-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … IF Chase d’Arnaud ranked 10th on that list, but was promoted to Pittsburgh in July.

RADIO & TELEVISION: Both games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Sunday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m. – There is a pre-game celebrity hot dog creation contest; “Kids run the bases” takes place after the game, as does post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Buffalo Bisons

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Wednesday, Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m. – RHP Chris Schwinden (7-6, 3.60 ERA) vs. LHP Fu-Te Ni (5-2, 3.16)

Thursday, Aug. 25, 6:30 p.m. – LHP Mark Cohoon (4-8, 6.05 ERA) vs. LHP Ramon Garcia (0-3, 3.86)

Friday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m. – RHP Dylan Owen (6-6, 4.47 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob Turner (1-0, 4.76 ERA)

Saturday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m. – RHP Miguel Batista (3-0, 4.24 ERA) vs. LHP Andy Oliver (8-10, 4.73)

TWITTER POST: Hens final homestand of '11 season begins with 4 games vs. Buffalo (managed by former Hen Tim Teufel) Wednesday-Saturday, Aug. 24-27

BUFFALO CHIPS: Buffalo has been the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets since the 2009 season. … Their manager is Tim Teufel, who is in his first season in that position. … The Bisons enter this series having lost at Columbus Tuesday night, which snapped a four-game winning streak. The Herd has won six of its last eight. … Buffalo enters this series with a 57-73 record, good for fifth place tie in the IL’s North Division. The Bisons trail North Division co-leaders Pawtucket and Lehigh Valley by 16 games. Buffalo is 3.5 games behind Syracuse in fifth and 9.5 ahead of sixth-place Rochester. … Offensively, the Bisons rank ninth in the 14-team IL with a .258 team batting average (Toledo is seventh at .259). Buffalo has scored 541 runs in 130 games (4.16 runs per game) and rank 11th in the league in that category. … IF Luis Figueroa leads the current Herd roster with a .301 batting average, although several players who do not have enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title have higher averages … 1B Valentino Pascucci leads the IL with 90 RBIs and ranks fifth in home runs with 20. … Only one other player on the current Buffalo roster is in double digits in home runs: IF Zach Lutz has 10 in 55 games. … The Bisons have stolen only 42 bases this season; OF Bubba Bell has nine, and no one else has more than five… Buffalo ranks 13th in the 14-team IL in team ERA with a 4.47 mark (Toledo is 12th with a 4.30 mark) and the Bisons stand 13th in runs allowed with 625 (4.81 runs per game). … RHP Chris Schwinden ranks just outside the IL’s top 10 with his 3.60 ERA. … Schwinden and LHP Pat Misch lead pitchers on the active roster in wins with seven. … Schwinden also has a team-leading 78 strikeouts. … RHP Dale Thayer serves as the Bisons’ closer and has 18 saves along with a 4-3 record and 2.86 ERA. Thayer’s save total is tied for fifth in the IL.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with an 6-2 record against the Bisons, including a 4-0 mark at Fifth Third Field. … So far this year the Hens are 1-3 overall against the Herd. … Toledo entered this season with a 17-15 record against the Bisons at Fifth Third Field, including nine consecutive wins. … The Mud Hens began this season 39-33 versus Buffalo since Fifth Third Field opened in 2002; Toledo has gone 12-4 against the Herd in the past two seasons. … The Hens hit just .182 as a team in the four-game series at Coca-Cola Field, although Will Rhymes hit .471, Scott Thorman batted .364 and Max St-Pierre hit .333. That means the rest of the squad combined to bat just .102 in Buffalo. … On the mound, the Mud Hens had a strong 2.80 team ERA. … For Buffalo, Josh Satin hit .412 in four games against the Hens, while Zach Lutz batted .357 with two homers and three RBIs. Only one other Bisons hitter batted above .231 against the Toledo. … On the mound, the Herd had a 1.89 team ERA, led by a 1.13 ERA by Miguel Batista and a 1.35 ERA for Dylan Owen.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: Buffalo manager Tim Teufel played for the Mud Hens from 1982-83. In 1983 Teufel hit .323 with 27 home runs and 100 RBIs and was voted International League MVP. … LHP Casey Fossum, who has pitched in nine games for the Bisons this season, pitched for the Mud Hens in 2008. … Hens C Omir Santos played briefly for Buffalo in both 2009 (three games) and ’10 (10 games). … Toledo is on the precipice of being eliminated from the Governors’ Cup playoffs. The Hens cannot win the West Division, and their “tragic number” in the Wild Card race is one.

TOP PROSPECTS: RHP Jenrry Mejia, who began this season with the Bisons but suffered a season-ending injury, began the year as the Mets’ top-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis began the season as the Mets’ fifth-best prospect; he has not played with Buffalo since June. … OF Fernando Martinez began the season as the Mets’ eighth-ranked prospect.

RADIO & TELEVISION: All four games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM. Every game but Thursday’s will be telecast live on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Friday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m. – It will be “Muddy” Gras at Fifth Third Field, with the first 3,000 fans getting Mardi Gras beads as they walk through the gates. … There will be post-game fireworks.

Saturday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m. – The Hens will be auctioning off game-used bats and equipment during the game. … There will be post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Louisville Bats

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Saturday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m.– LHP Matt Maloney (4-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. LHP Trevor Feeney (no record)

Sunday, Aug. 21, 6 p.m. – RHP Chad Reineke (7-5, 3.19 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob Turner (0-0, 6.75 ERA)

TWITTER POST: Hens begin homestand w/ 8 games in 10 days with pair vs. West Division rival Louisville at 5/3 Field Saturday & Sunday

BATS SIGNALS: Louisville has been the Triple-A affiliate of Cincinnati since the 2000 season. … Their manager is Rick Sweet, who is in his seventh season in that position. … The Bats enter this series having lost in extra innings in Indianapolis Friday night to snap a five-game winning streak. … Louisville enters this series with a 66-62 record, good for a second-place tie with Indianapolis in the IL’s West Division. The Bats trail first-place Columbus by 14 games. They are six full games ahead of fourth-place Toledo. Louisville also is six games behind Lehigh Valley in the Wild Card chase. … Offensively, the Bats rank fourth in the 14-team IL with a .264 team batting average. Louisville has scored 573 runs in 128 games (4.48 runs per game) and rank fourth in the league in runs scored. … OF Jeremy Hermida ranks tenth in the IL with a .305 batting average. … Among those currently on the roster, Hermida and Daniel Dorn lead the team with 15 home runs apiece. ... Dorn and C Devin Mesoraco are tied for the team lead with 63 RBIs. … The Bats have stolen only 58 bases this season; IF-OF Kristopher Negron has nine, and no one else on the active roster has more than two. … The Bats are sixth in ERA with a 3.91 mark (Toledo is eighth with a 4.23 mark) and stand eighth in runs allowed with 556 (4.45 runs per game). … RHP Chad Reineke ranks sixth in the IL with his 3.19 ERA. … Reineke, RHP Scott Carroll and LHP Tom Cochrane lead pitchers on the active roster in wins with seven. … Carroll has a team-leading 81 strikeouts. … Several pitchers have served as closing options for the Bats. RHPs Nick Christiani and Jordan Smith have seven saves each, while RHPs Carlos Fisher and Jerry Gil have six apiece. 

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with an 8-13 record against the Bats, including a 2-8 mark at Fifth Third Field. … So far this year the Hens are 7-10 overall against the Bats, including a 5-4 mark at home. … Toledo entered this season with a 36-43 record against the Bats at Fifth Third Field, making Louisville the only visiting team with a winning record at the 10-year-old ballpark. … The Mud Hens began this season 71-87 versus Louisville since Fifth Third Field opened in 2002; the last time Toledo had a winning season record against the Bats was in 2006, when Toledo was 9-7. … Individually, OF Ben Guez has hit .447 in 10 games against the Bats, while OF Andy Dirks has hit .367 vs. Louisville. … On the mound, the Mud Hens bullpen has been generally sharp against the Bats; most notably RHP Brendan Wise has allowed just six hits and two walks in seven scoreless innings. … For Louisville, IF Chris Valaika has hit .348 against Toledo in 13 games, while C Devin Mesoraco has batted .296 with three homers and eight RBIs.

NEWS WORTH NOTING:Louisville LHP Matt Maloney attended Huron High School near Sandusky. … Bats manager Rick Sweet managed in the Tigers organization before moving to Louisville. He was at Double-A Erie in 2004 and managed the group that included Curtis Granderson and Ryan Raburn, among others. … Bats RHP Chad Reineke is a graduate of Ayersville High School, which is near Defiance. … Louisville C Corky Miller is the only player who has played at least one game in Fifth Third Field in all 10 seasons it has been open.

TOP PROSPECTS: C Devin Mesoraco began this season as Cincinnati’s third-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … 3B Juan Francisco began the season as the Reds’ seventh-best prospect. 

RADIO & TELEVISION:Both games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and telecast live on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Saturday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m.– It will be Walleye Hockey Night, featuring Walleye coach Nick Vitucci and several Walleye players. … The Mud Hens will wear special jerseys that will be auctioned off as part of American Cancer Society Awareness Night. … The first 5,000 fans will receive a purple glowstick. … There will be post-game fireworks.

Sunday, Aug. 21, 6 p.m.– It will be Team Autograph Day. … The Zooperstars! will be performing between innings. … Kids run the bases after the contest. … There will be post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Louisville Bats

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m. – LHP Tom Cochrane (7-3, 3.39 ERA) vs. LHP Adam Wilk (6-5, 3.14 ERA)

Thursday, Aug. 11, 7 p.m. – RHP Chad Reineke (7-5, 3.12 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob Turner (no record)

TWITTER POST: Hens complete brief 4-game homestand with pair vs. West Division rival Louisville at 5/3 Field Wednesday & Thursday

BATS SIGNALS: Louisville has been the Triple-A affiliate of Cincinnati since the 2000 season. … Their manager is Rick Sweet, who is in his seventh season in that position. … The Bats enter this series having won their previous game at Columbus but have just a 3-5 record in August. … Louisville enters this series with a 61-57 record, good for a second-place tie with Indianapolis in the IL’s West Division. The Bats trail first-place Columbus by 13.5 games. They are six full games ahead of fourth-place Toledo. … Offensively, the Bats rank third in the 14-team IL with a .267 team batting average. Louisville has scored 533 runs in 118 games (4.52 runs per game) and rank third in the league in that category. … OF Jeremy Hermida ranks fifth in the IL with a .314 batting average, while OF Dave Sappelt (recently called up to Cincinnati) stands seventh with a .313 mark and SS Zack Cozart (also with the Reds) is tenth with a .310 mark. … Among those currently on the roster, Hermida and Daniel Dorn lead the team with 14 home runs apiece. C Devin Mesoraco has hit .293 with 11 homers and a team-high 60 RBIs. … The Bats have stolen only 40 bases this season; IF-OF Kristopher Negron has nine, and no one else has more than two… The Bats are seventh in ERA with a 4.01 mark (Toledo is eighth with a 4.29 mark) and stand seventh in runs allowed with 523 (4.43 runs per game). … RHP Chad Reineke ranks fourth in the IL with his 3.12 ERA. … Reineke and LHP Tom Cochrane lead pitchers on the active roster in wins with seven. … RHP Scott Carroll has a team-leading 78 strikeouts. … Several pitchers have served as closing options for the Bats. RHPs Nick Christiani and Jordan Smith have seven saves each, while RHP Carlos Fisher has six and RHP Jerry Gil has five.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with an 8-13 record against the Bats, including a 2-8 mark at Fifth Third Field. … So far this year the Hens are 5-10 overall against the Bats, including a 3-4 mark at home. … Toledo entered this season with a 36-43 record against the Bats at Fifth Third Field, making Louisville the only visiting team with a winning record at the 10-year-old ballpark. … The Mud Hens began this season 71-87 versus Louisville since Fifth Third Field opened in 2002; the last time Toledo had a winning season record against the Bats was in 2006, when Toledo was 9-7. … Individually, OF Ben Guez has hit .400 in eight games against the Bats, while 2B Will Rhymes has batted .323. … On the mound, the Mud Hens bullpen has been generally sharp against the Bats; most notably RHP Brendan Wise has allowed just six hits and two walks in seven scoreless innings. … For Louisville, 1B Daniel Dorn has hit .324 with four homers and eight RBIs in 10 games vs. the Hens, while C Devin Mesoraco has batted .313 with two homers and seven RBIs.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: Louisville LHP Matt Maloney attended Huron High School near Sandusky. … Bats manager Rick Sweet managed in the Tigers organization before moving to Louisville. He was at Double-A Erie in 2004 and managed the group that included Curtis Granderson and Ryan Raburn, among others. … Bats RHP Chad Reineke is a graduate of Ayersville High School, which is near Defiance. … Louisville C Corky Miller is the only player who has played at least one game in Fifth Third Field in all 10 seasons it has been open.

TOP PROSPECTS: C Devin Mesoraco began this season as Cincinnati’s third-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … 3B Juan Francisco began the season as the Reds’ seventh-best prospect.

RADIO & TELEVISION: Both games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and telecast live on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Thursday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m. – The Mud Hens will celebrate Irish Heritage Night with Irish-themed music, dancing and food.

Series Preview – Syracuse Chiefs

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Saturday, July 30, 7 p.m. – RHP Yunesky Maya (1-7, 5.32 ERA) vs. LHP Adam Wilk (5-5, 3.47 ERA)

Sunday, July 31, 6 p.m. – RHP Craig Stammen (0-4, 6.31 ERA) vs. LHP Ramon Garcia (0-3, 5.03 ERA)

Monday, Aug. 1, 7 p.m. – RHP Brad Peacock (2-1, 4.41 ERA) vs. LHP Andy Oliver (6-7, 4.64 ERA)

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 12 p.m. – LHP Tommy Milone (8-6, 3.62 ERA) vs. RHP Thad Weber (5-7, 5.56 ERA)

TWITTER POST: MudHens hope to continue climb to .500 -- & improve 17-8 July mark -- with 4 games vs Syracuse at 5/3 Field Saturday-Tuesday, July 30-Aug. 2

CHIEFS CHATTER: Syracuse has been the Triple-A affiliate of Washington since the 2009 season. … Their manager is Randy Knorr, who is in his first season in that position. … The Chiefs enter this series having won their last three games in Columbus but had lost the four previous contests. … Syracuse enters this series with a 47-58 record, good for fourth place in the IL’s North Division. The Chiefs trail first-place Lehigh Valley by 14 games. They are 10 full games in back of third-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and four in front of fifth-place Buffalo. … Offensively, the Chiefs rank 13th in the 14-team IL with a .251 team batting average. Syracuse has scored 420 runs in 105 games (4.00 runs per game) and rank last in the league in that category. … 1B Chris Marrero leads the team with a .301 average and has 10 homer runs and a team-high 53 RBIs. … Recent acquisitions IF Brian Bixler (.314 average in 25 games) and 2B Steve Lombardozzi (.318 average in 36 games) have helped the offense. … OF Michael Aubrey leads the Chiefs with 11 home runs. … OF Gregor Blanco leads the team with 15 stolen bases. … Syracuse ranks 12th in the IL with a 4.41 team ERA (Toledo is ninth with a 4.18 ERA). The Chiefs are seventh in runs allowed with 474 (4.51 runs per game). … LHP Tom Milone leads the active pitchers with a 3.62 ERA. Milone leads the IL with 120 strikeouts, and he also leads all starters with 0.77 walks per nine innings and 9.31 baserunners per nine innings. … RHP Craig Stammen has 97 whiffs in 108.2 innings. … RHP Josh Wilkie leads the team with nine saves in 11 opportunities and a 2.66 ERA.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 4-4 record against the Chiefs, including a 2-2 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with a 23-13 record against the Chiefs at Fifth Third Field. The Mud Hens began this season 41-31 versus Syracuse since Fifth Third Field opened in 2002; the only two seasons the Hens had a losing record against the Chiefs were 2003 (3-5) and ’04 (2-6). … The Hens swept four games at Alliance Bank Stadium April 26-29. In that series the Hens hit .336 against the Chiefs and has a 1.80 ERA to win by a combined margin of 23-6. … Individually, OF Timo Perez batted .400 against Syracuse with two homers and nine RBIs in four games. … 1B Ryan Strieby also hit .400 against the Chiefs with a homer and two RBIs. … On the mound, the Mud Hens got fine work from their four starters, who allowed just five runs in 24.2 innings (1.82 ERA). … As a team, the Chiefs have hit just .236 against the Hens so far this year. The only player who had consistent success against the Hens was 1B Chris Marrero, who hit .357. … On the mound, the Chiefs have a 6.75 ERA against the Hens. … The Syracuse starters struggled in that series, as witnessed by 17.18 ERA of Tom Milone and 6.75 mark of Craig Stammen.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: Syracuse OF Jeff Frazier has hit .199 with seven homers and 32 RBIs in 86 games for Chiefs. Last season he was a post-season IL All-Star after hitting .256 with 25 homers and 73 RBIs in 123 games. … Syracuse IF Brian Bixler grew up in Sandusky and attended Eastern Michigan. … Chiefs IF Steve Lombardozzi is the son of the former major leaguer with the same name. The elder Lombardozzi played for the Mud Hens in 1984-85 and 1990. … Mud Hens 2B Will Rhymes has moved into third place in the IL batting race with a .319 mark. … 1B Ryan Strieby has moved into fifth place in the league with 17 home runs. He has seven this month.

TOP PROSPECTS: 1B Chris Marrero began this season as Washington’s ninth-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … RHP Brad Peacock began the season as the Nationals’ 10th-best prospect.

RADIO & TELEVISION: All four games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and broadcast live on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Saturday, July 30, 7 p.m. – It will be “Polish-American Night” at the ballpark, and there also will be a salute to “I Love Lucy.” There will be post-game fireworks.

Sunday, July 31, 6 p.m. – A special “Home Plate” event featuring Todd Jones and Christian rock band Southbound Fearing will take place starting at 3 p.m. Two Mud Hens also will sign autographs before the game. “Kids run the bases” takes place after the game, as do post-game fireworks.

Monday, Aug. 1, 7 p.m. – The Mud Hens will be giving away a bobblehead of Moses Fleetwood Walker, the first African-American in major-league history, to the first 1,000 fans.

Series Preview – Norfolk Tides

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Tuesday, July 26, 7 p.m. – LHP Brian Matusz (0-3, 4.73 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Villarreal (2-5, 4.68 ERA)

Wednesday, July 27, 7 p.m. – RHP Mitch Atkins (2-4, 3.38 ERA) vs. LHP Andy Oliver (6-7, 4.71 ERA)

Thursday, July 28, 7 p.m. – RHP Steve Johnson (0-4, 6.31 ERA) vs. RHP Thad Weber (5-7, 5.54 ERA)

Friday, July 29, 7 p.m. – RHP Rick VandenHurk (6-12, 4.71 ERA) vs. LHP Fu-Te Ni (5-1, 3.18 ERA)

TWITTER POST: MudHens begin 8-game homestand w/ 4 vs. Norfolk (teams Hens swept last week) Tuesday thru Friday at 5/3 Field starting at 7 p.m.

TIDES POOLS: Norfolk has been the Triple-A affiliate of Baltimore since the 2007 season. … Their manager is Gary Allenson, who is in his fifth season in that position. … The Tides enter this series having won their last two official games (their contest at Gwinnett Monday was suspended by rain), but had lost the five previous contests (including a four-game sweep by the Mud Hens July 18-21). … Norfolk enters this series with a 38-64 record, good for fourth place in the IL’s South Division. The Tides, who are tied with Rochester for the worst record in the league, trail first-place Durham by 20 games. They are 11 full games in back of third-place Charlotte. … Offensively, the Tides rank 13th in the 14-team IL with a .251 team batting average. Norfolk has scored 430 runs in 102 games (4.22 runs per game) and are tied for 11th in the league in that category. … 2B Ryan Adams leads the players on the current roster with a .285 batting average. … 1B Brandon Snyder and DH Rhyne Hughes are tied for the team lead (among active players) with 11 home runs each; Snyder has 48 RBI while Hughes has 47. … OF Matt Angle has hit .278 and has a team-best 52 runs scores along with 22 stolen bases, which is tied for fourth in the IL . … Norfolk ranks 10th in the IL with a 4.36 team ERA (Toledo is eighth with a 4.17 ERA). The Tides are next-to-last in runs allowed with 498 (4.88 runs per game). … RHP Mitch Atkins leads the active pitchers with a 3.38 ERA, while Rick VanderHurk has a team-high six wins and a team-best 67 strikeouts. … RHP Mark Worrell leads the team with 12 saves but isn’t on the current roster; no pitcher on the active roster has more than one.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 3-5 record against the Tides, including a 2-2 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with a 26-22 record against the Tides at Fifth Third Field. The Mud Hens began this season 48-48 versus Norfolk since Fifth Third Field opened in 2002; the last time Toledo posted winning record against the Tides was a 5-3 record in 2008. … The Hens swept four games at Harbor Park July 18-21. In that series the Hens hit .296 against the Tides this season and has a 2.00 ERA against Norfolk. … Individually, SS Argenis Diaz hit .400 against the Tides with five runs scored, while OF Timo Perez also batted .400 against Norfolk. … On the mound, the Mud Hens bullpen was spectacular against the Tides as it covered 12.2 innings and gave up just 13 hits and five walks – and not a single run. … As a team, the Tides have hit.271 against the Hens so far this year. Among those who have had success against Toledo are 1B-DH Jake Fox, who batted .444 with a homer and five RBIs; OF Kyle Hudson, who hit .389 with three runs scored; and OF Robbie Widlansky, who batted .385 in four games. … On the mound, the Tides have a 7.25 ERA against the Hens. … The only pitchers who had success against Toledo were relievers Cole McCurry and Jose Diaz, each of whom didn’t allow a run in 2.2 innings.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: 3B Brandon Inge is expected to join the Mud Hens today. Inge was designated for assignment when the Tigers traded for Wilson Betemit last week and officially cleared waivers today. The Mud Hens will need to make a roster move to accommodate Inge. ... The parent Tigers took LHP Brad Thomas off the Hens' temporary inactive list. Thomas instead was placed on Detroit's 60-day disabled list. … The Hens have posted a 15-7 record in July after going just 7-22 in June, the worst record in the IL. … Tides LHP Clay Rapada pitched for the Mud Hens from 2007-09. ... One of the Tides' coaches is Brad Komminsk, a former Mud Hens coach and a native of nearby Lima.

TOP PROSPECTS: 2B Ryan Adams began this season as Baltimore's eighth-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … Adams is the only top-10 Orioles prospect on the Tides' roster.

RADIO & TELEVISION: All four games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM. All four games will be broadcast live on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Thursday, July 28, 7 p.m. – Ronald McDonald will meet fans on the concourse, and it also will be Red Cross Awareness Night.

Friday, July 29, 7 p.m. – It will be "Komen for the Cure" Night, and there will be a Girl Scout sleepover and post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Thursday, July 14, 7 p.m. – RHP Ivan Nova (1-0, 2.35 ERA) vs. LHP Charlie Furbush (4-3, 2.91 ERA)

Friday, July 15, 7 p.m. – RHP D.J. Mitchell (6-7, 3.20 ERA) vs. LHP Duane Below (9-4, 3.06 ERA)

Saturday, July 16, 7 p.m. – RHP Lance Pendleton (2-3, 3.03 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Villarreal (1-5, 4.42 ERA)

Sunday, July 17, 6 p.m. – TBA vs. LHP Andy Oliver (6-6, 4.48 ERA)

TWITTER POST: Hens, riding 3-game win streak, begin post all-star break w/ 4-game series vs. @swbyankees at 5/3 Field Thursday thru Sunday

YANKEES DOODLES: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has been the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees since the 2007 season. … Their manager is Dave Miley, who is in his fifth season in that position. … The Yankees enter this series having lost their last game, but had won the three previous contests and are 7-4 in July. … Scranton/Wilkes-Barre enters this series with a 48-41 record, good for third place in the IL’s North Division. The Yankees trail first-place Lehigh Valley by 4.5 games and are just one game in back of second-place Pawtucket while leading fourth-place Syracuse by 9.5 games. … Offensively, the Yankees rank second in the 14-team IL with a .267 team batting average. Curiously, they have scored just 351 runs in 89 games (3.94 runs per game) and rank 12th in the league in that category. … OF Jordan Parraz leads SWB with a .305 batting average. … 1B Jorge Vazquez leads the International League with 21 home runs and ranks fourth with 57 RBIs. … OF Justin Maxwell is tied for third in the IL with 16 home runs and has 35 RBIs. He also leads the team with 11 stolen bases. … Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ranks fourth in the IL with a 3.82 team ERA, but is second in runs allowed with 351 (3.94 runs per game). … RHPs D.J. Mitchell and Adam Warren are tied for the team lead with six wins, while Warren leads the active staff with 67 strikeouts and a 3.20 ERA. … RHP Kevin Whelan leads the league with 18 saves and is 1-1 with a 1.61 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 28 innings.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 2-6 record against the Yankees, including a 1-3 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with a 18-18 record against the Yankees at Fifth Third Field. The Mud Hens began this season 34-38 versus SWB since Fifth Third Field opened in 2002; Toledo has posted losing records against the Yankees in each of the past two seasons. … The two teams split four games at PNC Field June 3-6. The Hens have hit .306 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season and has a 2.91 ERA against the Yankees. … Individually, SS Cale Iorg has hit .417 in three games against the Yankees, while OF Timo Perez batted .421 and 2B Will Rhymes hit .412. … On the mound, Mud Hens pitchers allowed just 11 runs in 34 innings. No pitcher on Toledo’s current roster has an ERA higher than 3.00 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. … As a team, the Yankees have hit.274 against the Hens so far this year. Among those who have had success against Toledo are 3B Brandon Laird, who hit .533 with a home and four RBI in four games, and OF Dan Brewer, who batted .357. … On the mound, the Yankees have a 3.50 ERA against the Hens. … Closer Kevin Whelan has surrendered just one hits in two innings to claim a win and a saves versus the Hens.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: LHP Brad Thomas was designated for assignment by the Tigers Thursday. Teams have 72 hours to claim him, and if he goes unclaimed he has 72 hours to decide if he'll join the Hens or become a free agent. ... 2B Carlos Guillen rejoins the Hens Thursday, but that also could be the last day of his assignment, since the Tigers return to action on Friday. … The Hens have posted a 7-3 record in July after going just 7-22 in June, the worst record in the IL. … The New York Yankees signed LHP J.C. Romero, who was released by Washington earlier today. Romero is expected to join Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and that may take place as soon as today. ... Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 3B Brandon Laird is the younger brother of former Tigers C Gerald Laird. … The Yankees have a .988 fielding percentage, best in the IL. They have made just 39 errors; no other league team has fewer than 52. The Mud Hens have a .978 team fielding percentage (ranked 11th in the IL) and have committed 75 errors.

TOP PROSPECTS: C Jesus Montero began this season as the New York Yankees’ top-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … RHP Andrew Brackman (2-6, 7.71 ERA) ranked fifth on that list. … 3B Brandon Laird began the season as the Yankees’ 10th-best prospect.

RADIO & TELEVISION: All four games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM. The games Thursday, Saturday and Sunday will be broadcast live on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Friday, July 15, 7 p.m. – There will be post-game fireworks

Saturday, July 16, 7 p.m. – The “Bucket Boys” will entertain during the game, and there will be a Mystery Ball raffle. There will be post-game fireworks and a Boy Scout Sleepover.

Sunday, July 17, 6 p.m. – The “Bucket Boys” will entertain during the game, and it will be Latino Heritage Night, which includes a Latino Jersey auction. “Kids run the bases” takes place after the game, as do post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Columbus Clippers

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Saturday, July 9, 7 p.m. – LHP David Huff (8-2, 3.84 ERA) vs. LHP Andy Oliver (6-6, 4.63 ERA)

Sunday, July 10, 6 p.m. – LHP Scott Barnes (7-3, 3.61 ERA) vs. RHP L.J. Gagnier (1-3, 7.44 ERA)

TWITTER POST: Hens moving towards All-Star break w/ two games vs. Columbus (completing home-and-home series) at 5/3 Field Saturday and Sunday

CLIPPERS BUZZ: Columbus has been the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians since the 2009 season. … Their manager is Mike Sarbaugh, who is in his second season in that position. … The Clippers enter this series having split a pair of home games with the Hens. Before that Columbus had lost three straight at Louisville and is just 3-5 in the month of July. … Columbus enters this series with a 58-30 record, the best in the International League, and is in first place in the IL’s West Division, 9.5 games ahead of second-place Louisville. … Offensively, the Clippers lead the 14-team IL with a .269 team batting average. They have scored 483 runs in 89 games (5.43 runs per game) and also lead the league in that category. … IF Luis Valbuena (who was promoted to Cleveland recently) ranks tenth in the IL with a .313 batting average. He also is third for third in the league with a team-best 56 RBIs. … OF Jerad Head leads the active roster with 14 home runs (and has 44 RBIs), while 2B Jason Kipnis has 11 home runs and 51 RBIs. OF Ezequiel Carrera and Kipnis are tied for first in the IL with 61 runs scored, while Carrera also leads the league with 35 stolen bases. … Columbus ranks seventh in the IL with a 4.06 team ERA (Toledo is 10th at 4.32) and is sixth in runs allowed with 382. … RHP Jeanmar Gomez (who started against the Hens Friday night) ranks second in the IL with a 2.40 ERA, while RHP Zach McAllister (who started for Cleveland Thursday) is fourth with a 2.97 ERA. … Gomez is tied for first in the league with nine wins, while McAllister and LHP David Huff are tied with four other for fifth place with eight. … RHP Josh Judy is tied for third in the league with a team-high 13 saves.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 14-8 record against the Clippers – the eventual Governors’ Cup champs – including a 6-5 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with a 29-15 record against the Clippers in their first two seasons as a Cleveland affiliate, including a 13-9 record at Fifth Third Field. The Mud Hens began this season 46-35 versus the Clippers at Fifth Third Field since it opened in 2002; Toledo has a winning home record against Columbus in each of those years except 2003 and ‘08. … With the two-game split in Columbus the past two days, the Hens are now 4-12 against the Clippers this season, including a 2-5 mark at home. The Hens have hit just .247 against Columbus this season and has a 5.68 ERA against the Clippers. … Individually, 1B Ryan Strieby has hit .346 in 14 games against the Clippers with four home runs and 11 RBIs, while OF Timo Perez (.302) and 2B Will Rhymes (.300) also have hit well against Columbus. … On the mound, RHP Brendan Wise has allowed just four hits in 4.1 scoreless innings against Columbus. … As a team, the Clippers have hit.273 against the Hens so far this year. Among those who have had success against Toledo are OF Ezequiel Carrera, who has hit .340 in 15 games with seven stolen bases; IF Jason Donald, who has batted .308 in 12 games; 2B Jason Kipnis, who has hit .321 in 15 games with two homers and nine RBIs; and C Paul Phillips, who has batted .371 in nine games. … Without question, the MVP for the Clippers against the Hens has been OF Jerad Head, who has hit .333 with six home runs and 14 RBIs in just 14 games against Toledo. … On the mound, Saturday starter David Huff has allowed just five hits and one earned in 11 innings versus Toledo, while Sunday starter Scott Barnes is 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA after giving up just five hits and one earned run in 14.1 innings versus Toledo. … Closer Josh Judy has surrendered just two hits in five innings to claim three saves versus the Hens.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: LHP Brad Thomas is expected to continue his rehab assignment with the Hens, as is 2B Carlos Guillen. … The Hens have posted a 5-3 record in July after going just 7-22 in June, the worst record in the IL. … RHP Chance Ruffin has collected three saves since joining the Hens at the end of June. … Toledo is 1-4 in extra-inning games, the worst record in the IL. … The Hens also have a 14-30 record at home, the worst mark in the IL.

TOP PROSPECTS: 3B Lonnie Chisenhall began this season as Cleveland’s top-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America, but he was promoted to the Indians recently. … 2B Jason Kipnis ranked third on that list. … LHP Nick Hagadone, who is 3-1 with a 4.57 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the Clippers, began the season as the Indians’ 10th-best prospect.

RADIO & TELEVISION: Both games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Saturday, July 9, 7 p.m. – It will be Hens and Hogwarts Night at Fifth Third Field to celebrate the upcoming Harry Potter film. There will be a wand and glasses giveaway to the first 1,000 fans, as well as other “Harry Potter” themed events. There will be post-game fireworks.

Sunday, July 10, 6 p.m. – It will be Muddy’s and Muddonna’s birthday celebration. “Kids run the bases” takes place after the game, as do post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Indianapolis Indians

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Saturday, July 2, 7 p.m. – LHP Justin Wilson (9-5, 3.98 ERA) vs. RHP Thad Weber (4-6, 6.00 ERA)

Sunday, July 3, 6 p.m. – LHP Brian Burres (3-7, 4.22 ERA) vs. LHP Adam Wilk (4-5, 3.75 ERA)

TWITTER POST: After 16 straight vs. IL's 2 best teams, Hens face West Division rival Indy at 5/3 Field Saturday-Sunday b4 4th of July

TRIBE TIDBITS: Indianapolis has been the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates since the 2005 season. … Their manager is Dean Treanor, who is in his first season in that position. … The Indians enter this series having lost at Syracuse after winning four of their previous six games. … Indianapolis enters this series with a 42-41 record and is in third place in the IL’s West Division, 13.5 games behind first-place Columbus and nine games in front of the Mud Hens in fourth. … Offensively, the Tribe ranks third in the 14-team IL with a .271 team batting average. They have scored 371 runs in 83 games (4.47 runs per game) and rank fifth in the league in that category. … OF Alex Presley (who was promoted to Pittsburgh recently) ranks third in the IL with a .336 batting average, while 1B Matt Hague is fourth with a .333 mark. … Presley also is tied for fourth in the league in stolen bases (18) ranks third in on-base percentage (.389). … Hague leads the Indians with eight home runs and 46 RBIs. … OF John Bowker is batting .304 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in 51 games for the Tribe. … Indianapolis ranks ninth in the IL with a 4.32 team ERA (Toledo is 11th at 4.36) and is ninth in runs allowed with 382. … LHP Justin Wilson is tied for the league lead with nine wins and is third in the IL with 41 walks. … Wilson’s 3.98 ERA is best amongst the team’s starters. … Wilson, LHP Brian Burres and RHP Sean Gallagher are tied for the team lead with 64 strikeouts each. … RHP Tim Wood is second in the league with a team-high 13 saves, but he also has been promoted to Pittsburgh. RHP Cesar Valdez leads the pitchers on the current roster with five saves.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 10-11 record against Indianapolis, including a 6-5 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with an 80-77 record against the Tribe since 2002, including a 45-33 record at Fifth Third Field since it opened in 2002; Toledo has a winning home record against Indianapolis in each of those years except 2004 and ‘09. … The two teams have split their first six meetings this season, including four April games here at home. … Individually, OF Timo Perez has hit .412 with two RBIs in five games against the Indians, while 1B-OF Scott Thorman has batted .313 with a homer and three RBIs in five contests. … On the mound, RHP Thad Weber gave up just five hits and three runs in one start vs. Indianapolis, while LHP Adam Wilk allowed just six hits and two runs – one earned – in 5.1 innings. But both suffered losses against the Tribe. … As a team, the Indians have hit just .191 against the Hens so far this year. The only player whose average was above .333 was C Dusty Brown, who was at .429 (3-for-7). … On the mound, Saturday starter Justin Wilson shut out Toledo on two hits over six innings in his only start. … The Indians have a team ERA of .356 against the Mud Hens.

NEWS WORTH NOTING: Detroit LHP Brad Thomas is expected to continue his rehab assignment with the Hens, as is 2B Carlos Guillen. … Indians LHP Justin Thomas is a Clay High School graduate who is 5-2 with a pair of saves and a 4.24 ERA in 37 appearances for the Tribe. … Toledo IF Argenis Diaz played for Indianapolis in both 2009-10, while Hens newcomer Jeff Salazar player for the Indians in 2009. … The Hens enter this series having won their last game, but having lost the previous three in a row and seven of their last 10. The Mud Hens were 7-22 in June, the worst record in the IL. Toledo hit just .244 for the month (and scored 3.21 runs per game) while posting a 4.70 team ERA.

TOP PROSPECTS: LHP Rudy Owens began this season as Pittsburgh’s seventh-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. … IF Chase d’Arnaud ranked 10th on that list, but was recently promoted to Pittsburgh.

RADIO & TELEVISION: All four games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Saturday, July 2, 7 p.m. – There will be post-game fireworks.

Sunday, July 3, 6 p.m. – The gates open at 4:30 p.m. so fans can take photos with the Hens on the field before the game. “Kids run the bases” takes place after the game, as does post-game fireworks.

Series Preview – Columbus Clippers

PROBABLE PITCHERS

Thursday, June 30, 7 p.m. – LHP Scott Barnes (6-2, 3.63 ERA) vs. TBA (scheduled starter Brayan Villarreal was promoted to Detroit)

Friday, July 1, 7 p.m. – RHP Zach McAllister (8-2, 2.93 ERA) vs. LHP Duane Below (7-4, 3.41 ERA)

TWITTER POST: Hens look to snap 6-game losing streak to C-bus, extend 2-game home win streak in 2-game series vs. Clippers at 5/3 Field Thursday-Friday

CLIPPERS BUZZ: Columbus has been the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians since the 2009 season. … Their manager is Mike Sarbaugh, who is in his second season in that position. … The Clippers enter this series having beaten the Hens twice at home the past two days. Before that Columbus had lost three straight to Gwinnett to snap a six-game winning streak that had included four wins in a row against Toledo. … Columbus enters this series with a 54-26 record, the best in the International League, and is in first place in the IL’s West Division, 10.5 games ahead of second-place Louisville. … Offensively, the Clippers rank second in the 14-team IL with a .274 team batting average. They have scored a league-high 446 runs in 80 games (5.58 runs per game), the highest run total in the league. … IF Luis Valbuena ranks eighth in the league with a .316 batting average and is fifth in the IL with 51 RBIs. … 2B Jason Kipnis is hitting .302 this season and leads the league in triples (nine) and runs scored (58). Kipnis also has 11 homers and 48 RBIs. … OF Ezequiel Carrera is batting .292 and leads the IL with 27 stolen bases. He trails only Kipnis in runs scored with 56. … Columbus ranks seventh in the IL with a 4.18 team ERA and is seventh in runs allowed with 347. … RHP Jeanmar Gomez (who pitched against Toledo Wednesday) is fourth in the league with a 2.49 ERA and is 8-2. … RHP Zach McAllister ranks seventh in the IL with a 2.93 ERA and is 8-2. … Gomez, McAllister and LHP David Huff are all tied for second in the league with nine victories. … RHP Josh Judy is tied for third in the league with a team-high 12 saves.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS: Last year the Mud Hens finished with a 14-8 record against the Clippers – the eventual Governors’ Cup champs – including a 6-5 mark at Fifth Third Field. … Toledo entered this season with a 29-15 record against the Clippers in their first two seasons as a Cleveland affiliate, including a 13-9 record at Fifth Third Field. The Mud Hens began this season 46-35 versus the Clippers at Fifth Third Field since it opened in 2002; Toledo has a winning home record against Columbus in each of those years except 2003 and ‘08. … With the two losses the past two days, the Hens are now 2-10 against Columbus this season, including a 1-4 mark at home. The Hens have hit just .249 against Columbus this season and has a 6.15 ERA against the Clippers. … Individually, 1B Ryan Strieby is hitting .366 in 11 games against Columbus with three homers and eight RBIs. No other Hen is batting better than .286 against the Clippers. … On the mound, RHP Jose Ortega has a 2.25 ERA in two appearances against Columbus, while RHP Brendan Wise has given up just three hits and two walks in 3.1 scoreless innings spread over three games. … For the Clippers, OF Ezequiel Carrera is batting .395 against Toledo with five stolen bases in 11 games, while 2B Jason Kipnis is hitting .368 with two homers and six RBI in 11 games. C Paul Phillips is batting .368 against the Hens, while OF Jerad Head is hitting .342 versus Toledo. … On the mound, Thursday starter Scott Barnes shut out the Hens on just two hits in seven innings while Friday starter Zach McAllister has limited Toledo to six hits – but walked seven – in 13 innings to go 2-0 with 2.77 ERA. Columbus has a 3.58 team ERA versus the Hens while the offense is batting .284 and has scored 76 runs in 12 games (6.33 runs per game).

NEWS WORTH NOTING: The Tigers made several roster moves on Wednesday, recalling LHP Brad Thomas from his rehab assignment with the Hens (he remains on the DL, though) and promoting RHP Brayan Villarreal, Thursday’s scheduled starter for Toledo, to Detroit. LHP Daniel Schlereth was optioned to Toledo. … The Hens enter this season having lost two in a row and 11 of their last 13. The Mud Hens are 7-21 in June, hitting just .249 this month (and scoring 3.25 runs per game) while posting a 4.65 team ERA.

TOP PROSPECTS: 3B Lonnie Chisenhall began this season as Cleveland’s top-ranked prospect, according to Baseball America, but he was promoted to the Indians at the start of the week. … 2B Jason Kipnis ranked third on that list. … LHP Nick Hagadone, who is 2-1 with a 5.82 ERA in 13 relief appearances for the Clippers, began the season as the Indians’ 10th-best prospect.

RADIO & TELEVISION: Both games will be broadcast live on WCWA, 1230-AM and on BCSN.

PROMOTIONS

Friday, July 1, 7 p.m. – There will be post-game fireworks along with a Cub Scout sleepover.