Ninth inning rally falls one run short in first loss of season for Clippers

Cleveland Guardians minor league recap for Monday, March 31, 2025

Columbus Clippers 5, Toledo Mud Hens 6

Box Score · Clippers fall to 2-1

It wasn’t a lack of offense that cost Columbus on Sunday. The Clippers outhit the Mud Hens 13 to 8 and Columbus pitchers had more strikeouts, but Toledo managed a pair of three-run innings and that was just enough.

Columbus almost rallied with three runs in the top of the ninth inning. Juan Brito led off the inning with a double, moved over on an Angel Martinez single and scored on a Will Wilson single. Dom Nunez then hit a two-out, two-run double, but that rally fell short there as Dayan Frias was called out on strikes to end the game.

Wilson had a huge game, going 3-for-5, raising his season OPS to 1.300. Brito also remains scorching hot, going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Martinez also went 2-for-5, as did Kody Huff.

Christian Cairo went 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base, while Nunez went 1-for-3 with a double, a hit by pitch and a walk.

Starting pitcher Trenton Denholm struggled, allowing three runs in the first inning before settling down. He finished with three runs allowed on three hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 3.1 innings.

Mason Hickman relieved Denholm, but couldn’t get out of the fifth inning, with three runs credited to him.

The rest of the bullpen was solid as Shawn Rapp, Ross Carver, Parker Mushinski and Carter Spivey combined for 3.2 scoreless frames and six strikeouts.