Clippers End Regular Season with Loss

The playoff-bound Clippers ended the 2011 regular season with a 3-1 loss to the Toledo Mud Hens.

It would be Toledo jumping out to an early lead. The lead-off batter Justin Henry reached on an error by Clippers first baseman Beau Mills. After Henry stole second base, Jeff Salazar walked. Timo Perez then laid down a sacrifice bunt, allowing both runners to move into scoring position with one out. That brought up Ryan Strieby who delivered for his ballclub with a two-run RBI single up the middle, giving Toledo an early 2-0 advantage.

The top of the seventh would be the first time Columbus made noise on the scoreboard. Beau Milss led off the frame with a double to left field. After a Thomas Neal strikeout, Luke Carlin walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. The Mud Hens made a pitching change, bringing in left-hander Matt Hoffman to face Ben Copeland. Needing a big hit from their centerfielder, Copeland put it in play and the Clippers caught a break thanks to a Toledo defensive miscue. The Mud Hens defensive blunder allowed Mills to score, getting the Clippers on the board 2-1. Unfortunately, the Clippers could not do anything more that inning as Argenis Reyes struck out to end the frame.

The Mud Hens got that run back in the bottom of the 8th when Ryan Strieby belted a one-out solo shot to left field. making it 3-1 Toledo.

The Clippers were then sent down 1-2-3 in the ninth inning by Mud Hens reliver Enrique Gonzalez as the Mud Hens held on for 3-1 win in the 2011 regular season finale.

With the regular season behind them, the Clippers will now set their sights on the IL South Division champion Durham Bulls as these two teams get set to tangle in the 2011 Governor's Cup Divisional Series. Game 1 of the best-of-five series will take place in Durham, North Carolina. The starting pitchers for both squads are to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.