Michael Hollimon hammered a pair of homers in a seven-bomb game for Toledo, Jay Bruce collected another two hits (ho-hum), Mitchell Boggs fanned 10 RedHawks and Chase Headley and Ian Stewart kept the extra-base hits coming.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Toledo second baseman Michael Hollimon (Tigers) led off yesterday’s game against Columbus with a home run off righthander Collin Balester (Nationals). It was only the opening salvo for the Mud Hens, who would homer three more times off Balester (5 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 6 SO) and six more times in total. Hollimon (3-for-5, walk, two strikeouts) chipped in a second longball, his 11th on the year, in the eighth inning, going deep against Dennis Tankersley.

Hollimon’s teammate, first baseman Jeff Larish, doubled and walked twice in the game, but two other Mud Hens, catcher Nick Trzesniak and DH Timo Perez, connected for a pair of home runs apiece. The Toledo Blade offered the following on the "Slug" Hens:

Entering the game, Toledo was on pace to hit 245 homers. The most home runs in a season for the Mud Hens came in 1999 when they hit 176.

"It’s not often that you get this many guys in your lineup who can hit the ball out of the ballpark," said (Toledo manager Larry) Parrish, who belted 256 home runs during his major league career.

Prospect Nuggets

Louisville CF Jay Bruce (Reds) kept right on hitting, going 2-for-4 yesterday with his 10th home run of the season. He’s batting .363/.392/.669 and leads all IL hitters in average . . . Charlotte knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (White Sox) tamed Durham Sunday, going eight innings while allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks . . . Indianapolis 3B Neil Walker (Pirates) was 2-for-4 with an RBI and his eighth double of the year. More critical was that the double came against Louisville LHP Matt Maloney (Reds), because even after the two-bagger, Walker has hitting just .182/.217/.273 versus lefties on the year. About his effort, Maloney told The Louisville Courier-Journal: "I started this year out (not) throwing the ball as well as I could—I’d just have one bad stretch. I’m starting to have more confidence in my fastball and I’m spotting it up, and it’s working out well for me right now." He picked up his fifth win of the year in going 6 1/3 innings and giving up two runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out four.

What To Watch For Today

Rochester and Syracuse meet at 5 p.m. to complete the game started Sunday. The Cooperstown Classic was halted because of rain and 40-degree temperatures. (Follow the link for some choice Carlton Fisk quotes, too.) The teams meet again at 7 p.m., with the Red Wings sending LHP Brian Duensing (Twins) to the hill. He’s been hit hard in two of his last three starts, but is 2-4, 3.44 overall . . . Fresh off his first victory of the season, Lehigh Valley LHP J.A. Happ (Phillies) goes for No. 2 in the first game of the IronPigs-Bisons doubleheader.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Memphis righthander Mitchell Boggs (Cardinals) struck out 10 Oklahoma RedHawks in seven innings yesterday, while allowing just two hits and two walks, but the Redbirds didn’t have the game in hand until Joe Mather connected for a two-out solo shot in the eighth inning. The right fielder has now homered in each of his last five starts.

For the 24-year-old Boggs, a fifth-round pick from Georgia in 2005, he continued to build on what’s been a successful Triple-A debut season: 4-1, 3.33 with 37-15 K-BB in 51 innings and a 2.16 G/F mark.

Prospect Nuggets

Last year’s crop of PCL third basemen—Andy LaRoche (Las Vegas), Brandon Wood (Salt Lake), Ian Stewart (Colorado Springs)—ranked as the finest collection of hot-corner prospects in any minor league. Wood has moved back to shortstop this season, but LaRoche and Stewart remain. Stewart (Rockies) went 2-for-3 at Fresno yesterday, doubling once and stealing a base, while walking and whiffing once. LaRoche was hitless in two at-bats, but he drew two walks, giving him three two-walk games in his last four games. He’s got 22 in 18 Triple-A games on the year . . . Portland Chase Headley (Padres), who played third base until this season, was 3-for-4 yesterday with a homer (seven), a double (13), a walk, four runs and two RBIs. He’s batting .352/.410/.634 in May, and he’s homered in four of his last five games . . . Converted reliever Jon Meloan (Dodgers) has posted a 3.52 ERA in Las Vegas’ Cashman Field, a notorious hitter’s haven, but he’s run up a 6.75 ERA on the road. In Portland yesterday, the righthander allowed six runs (five earned) in three innings, while striking out just two. He allowed nine baserunners in the form of seven hits and two walks . . . Sacramento LHP Gio Gonzalez (Athletics) pitched his best game of the year at home against Salt Lake. He went six innings, giving up a lone run on four hits and two walks. His nine strikeouts were a season high, and his walk total was a season low.

What To Watch For Today

Salt Lake is an impressive 31-11 on the season, but they’ve lost three in a row and are "just" 6-4 in their last 10. They begin a series at Fresno tonight.