Clippers again lack offense in 2-1 loss

The Clippers struggled again to put runs on the board and lost their fourth straight game, 2-1 to the host Toledo Mud Hens on Saturday night before 9,444 at Fifth Third Field.

Toledo's Drew VerHagen (6-5) gave up eight hits over six innings, but the Clippers scored just one run, stranded 10 and went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

Reliever Jeff Ferrell allowed one hit in two innings and Joe Jimenez got the save with a scoreless ninth, although the Clippers had runners on second and third with two outs before Ronny Rodriguez struck out to end the game.

The Clippers' skid comes on the heels of a four-game winning streak. Columbus has scored 1, 2 and 1 run in its last three games.

Adam Plutko (4-8) turned in a solid start for the Clippers, yielding two runs on seven hits in seven innings, with four strikeouts and no walks.

Chris Colabello got Columbus on the board with an RBI single that followed singles by Giovanny Urshela and Erik Kratz in the top of the second. Urshela scored on Colabello's hit, but Kratz was thrown out at third for the final out of the inning.

The Clippers didn't cross home plate again and have scored runs in only three of their past 27 innings.

The Mud Hens struck twice in the top of the sixth off Plutko, when JaCoby Jones had an RBI double and scored on a single by Jim Adducci.