Clippers get back on winning side against Toledo
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com
Columbus Clippers second baseman Christian Cairo makes a difficult catch during the club’s 6-1 win over Toledo at Huntington Park Tuesday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
After suffering through the worst week of their season, the Columbus Clippers returned to Huntington Park Tuesday to begin a six-game series against the Toledo Mud Hens. Powered by three home runs and a solid performance from starting pitcher Vince Velasquez, the Clippers halted a seven-game losing skid with a 6-1 win.
Columbus came into Tuesday’s contest after being swept by the Rochester Red Wings in New York and a long bus ride back to Central Ohio. At Rochester’s Innovative Park, the Clippers saw three of their six losses coming in walk-off fashion, two others with minimal run production.
Both squads started slowly Tuesday. It was a pitchers’ duel between Velasquez and Rochester starter Wilkel Hernandez through the first three innings, with only one hit registered. In the bottom of the fourth, Columbus put three on the board on home runs from Johnathan Rodriguez and C.J. Kayfus.
Johnathan Rodriguez is greeted by third base coach, Daniel Robertson, after hitting a two-run homer to give the Columbus Clippers a lead at Huntington Park Tuesday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
The Clippers added a run in the fifth inning on a Brayan Rocchio sacrifice fly. Rocchio wasn’t done. In the seventh, he hit a two-run bomb over the right field wall for a 6-1 Columbus lead. The Mud Hens scored a run against reliever Will Dion in the top of the seventh, stringing together a walk and two singles.
Velasquez (2-1) earned the win, going 5.2 scoreless innings on two hits and a walk, while striking out eight. Dion allowed just one run in his 2.1 innings of relief effort and Franco Aleman nailed down the ninth inning for the Clippers’ win. Hernandez (1-2) was charged with the loss.
The teams play the second game of their series Tuesday with the first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. Aaron Davenport (0-0, 13.50) gets his third start for Columbus and will face Rochester’s Lael Lockhart (2-3, 4.27).
Columbus Clippers starting pitcher Vince Velasquez picked up the win, tossing 5.2 shutout innings Tuesday against the Toledo Red Wings at Huntington Park. Photo: Kevin Rouch