Jul. 5—For the first time since 2016, the Toledo Mud Hens won with a walk-off home run. With a runner on first base and one out, JaCoby Jones launched a two-run home run to right field. It was Jones’ third home run of the season.
The Mud Hens defeated the Columbus Clippers 5-4 Sunday night at Fifth Third Field. Toledo (30-23) took five games in their six-game set over Columbus (24-29). It was the Mud Hens’ second straight series win.
It was Toledo’s first walk-off win since Steven Moya did so against Buffalo on May 29, 2016.
In Pedro Payano’s fourth start of the season for the Mud Hens, the 26-year-old gave up four runs over five innings. Payano (4-3) allowed seven hits and struck out five on 86 pitches, 54 for strikes. This was the second time this series he has faced the Clippers.
Triston McKenzie faced the Mud Hens for the second time in the series. He allowed three runs and gave up two home runs in five innings of work. McKenzie (1-3) struck out seven and walked one.
Angel De Jesus closed out the ninth for Toledo and was credited with the win. Columbus’ Danny Young was handed the loss. It was his second blown save of the season.
What happened: With Isaac Paredes on first base, Renato Nunez blasted his 12th home run of the season with two outs in the first inning.
The Clippers answered back with a two-run hit of their own. Gavin Collins laced a single to left field that scored Nolan Jones and Gabriel Arias. In Toledo’s half of the second, Aderlin Rodriguez launched a solo homer to left field.
Columbus regained the lead in the fifth. With a two-run double from Trenton Brooks, the Clippers’ designated hitter drove in Nolan Jones and Arias with two outs.
After Christin Stewart was hit by a pitch to lead off the ninth, two batters later JaCoby Jones followed with his third home run of the season.
Game MVP: JaCoby Jones was 1-for-4 with his two-run homer.
He said it: “[JaCoby Jones] hadn’t been having a whole lot of success and all of a sudden, boom, he comes up with that hit, and he was all smiles,” Mud Hens manager Tom Prince said. “It was really good to see him come through there.”
Make note of it: The Mud Hens have slowly crept up on the first-place Omaha Storm Chasers in the Triple-A East Midwest Division. Toledo is four games back of Omaha.
Stewart’s six-game hitting streak came to an end during Sunday’s contest. His hit-by-pitch in the ninth extended his on-base streak to seven games, however.
Rordriguez’s solo home run in the second was his 14th of the season. He is now tied for third in Triple-A East with Emmanuel Rivera of Omaha and Brent Rooker of St. Paul. He is one shy of the league lead.
Rodriguez is one of three Mud Hens, alongside Yariel Gonzalez (10) and Renato Nunez (12), who have double-digit home runs.
Comings and goings: Niko Goodrum began a rehab assignment with Toledo Saturday. In his two rehab games, he was the designated hitter Saturday and played shortstop on Sunday, Goodrum combined to go 1-for-7.
Goodrum was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left finger tendon injury on June 19. He was replaced in the sixth inning during Sunday night’s game by Cole Peterson.
A look ahead: Toledo has a scheduled off day on Monday before starting a six-game series at Omaha. The Mud Hens are four games back of Omaha in the Midwest Division.
This is the first time this season the two will play each other. Omaha is first in Triple-A East in home runs (97), batting average (.269), slugging percentage (.496), and on-base plus slugging percentage (.836).
The Storm Chasers have three of the Kansas City Royals’ top 30 prospects: No. 2 left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch (also Major League Baseball’s No. 21 overall prospect), No. 4 right-handed pitcher Jackson Kowar (MLB’s No. 92), and No. 6 outfielder Kyle Isbel.
Lynch has a 4-2 record with a 5.12 earned run average in 45 2/3 innings pitched. Kowar is 5-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 40 1/3 innings. Isbel has hit to a .225 batting average with a .322 OBP, .358 SLG, and .681 OPS.
The first contest of the six-game series is at 8:05 p.m on Tuesday at Werner Park.
First Published July 4, 2021, 10:57pm