Game Recaps: Thursday 4/16

Columbus Nips Toledo 2-1

Columbus used some excellent pitching combined with some timely hitting to squeak out a 2-1 win in a tightly played contest against Toledo. Right-hander Tomo Ohka's second start since slipping into the rotation for the departed Aaron Laffey was a gem as he went 6 shutout innings and allowed 5 hits, 1 walk, and had 4 strikeouts.

Lefty Tony Sipp battled through 2 innings of relief and got the hold while right-hander Matt Herges closed out the 9th for his first save of the season.

It was a quiet night for the Clipper offense as they only manager six hits, but the big hits were a Matt LaPorta home run to lead off the 6th inning and a Michael Brantley single in the 3rd inning to plate the game's first run.

Aeros Can’t Solve Patton, Fall to Baysox 2-0

Troy Patton flummoxed Akron hitters for six innings and the Baysox got just enough offense to win their home opener 2-0 over the Aeros before 2,141 fans at Prince George’s Stadium Thursday night. Bowie (5-3) won its fourth straight game while Akron (5-2) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, although the club remains in first place in the Southern Division.

The Aeros had a good chance to score in the top of the fourth when Beau Mills led off with a double down the left field line, but he never made it off second. The Baysox then tallied a gift run in the bottom of the inning, as Akron centerfielder John Drennen lost Paco Figueroa’s fly ball in the lights for a triple and Brandon Snyder brought him home with a sacrifice fly two batters later.

That would prove to be the only run the Sox would need, as Patton got a double-play ball in the sixth to erase a leadoff single and reliever Josh Perrault benefitted from a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play to end the eighth.

Bowie got an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Melvin Dorta led off with an infield single and scored on a wild pitch from reliever Neil Wagner. The Aeros did rally to make things interesting in the ninth, as Baysox closer Wilfrido Perez walked Josh Rodriguez to start the frame and bring the tying run to the plate. A passed ball advanced Rodriguez 90 feet, but Perez recorded the next two outs before walking Carlos Santana on five pitches to bring Nick Weglarz to the plate as the potential go-ahead run. Weglarz worked the count even at 2-2 before hitting a nubber up the third base line that looked like it might die for an infield hit, but Perez got off the mound quickly, barehanded the ball cleanly, and fired a dart to first that just barely beat Weglarz as Snyder did the splits to keep his foot on the bag.

Patton (2-0) got the best of the Aeros for the second time in six days, and has not allowed a run in 11 innings against Akron this year. He worked six shutout innings in this contest, allowing only three hits and no walks while striking out six. Aeros starter Frank Herrmann (1-1) deserved much better than the loss he received, turning in his second quality start in as many outings. He pitched a season-high seven innings and held Bowie to three hits and a walk while notching three strikeouts. Perez navigated the ninth for his third save in as many opportunities. Rodriguez led the Akron offense with two hits and a walk, and was the only Aero to reach base more than once.
Game two in this four-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Friday, as Akron’s Josh Tomlin (0-1, 1.80 ERA) squares off against Bowie’s Brandon Erbe (0-1, 3.00 ERA).

Blue Rocks Beat Kinston 7-2

Former North Carolina Tar Heel Tim Fedroff was 3-for-5 with two doubles, but it wasn’t enough as Wilmington upended Kinston 7-2 Thursday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.

The K-Tribe bolted out to an early 2-0 lead behind great starting pitching from Eric Berger. Berger went five innings, giving up five hits and one earned run. Berger walked two and struck out a career high eight. Wilmington would get into Kinston’s bullpen, scoring seven unanswered runs, including four in the top of the ninth inning. Mike Moustakas had a big game for Wilmington, going 3-for-5 with two RBI. Five Wilmington hitters had multiple hits as the Blue Rocks banged out 13 hits on the night. Heath Taylor (0-1) takes the loss for Kinston, giving up two earned runs in two innings. Garrison Campfield gave up three earned in 1 2/3 innings for Kinston. Ray Liotta (1-0) got the win in relief for Wilmington.

The K-Tribe continues their homestand through this Sunday as the Winston-Salem Dash return to Historic Grainger Stadium. Game one of the three game series starts Friday night at 7pm in Kinston as last year’s Big Ten Conference Pitcher of the Year Zach Putnam takes the hill for the K-Tribe.

Captains Shutout Shorebirds in 10 innings

(Salisbury, MD) – Chris Nash singled home Karexon Sanchez in the top of the tenth inning and Donnie Webb drove home two more with an infield single to lead the Lake County Captains to a 3-0 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds on Thursday. This is the second ten inning shutout for the Captains this year.

Captain’s starter Alexander Perez threw seven shutout innings allowing only two hits and striking out seven while not walking a batter. Santo Frias followed Perez and threw two shutout innings and picked up his first victory of the season striking out four. Steve Smith pitched the tenth inning striking out the side to pick up his first save of the year.

Suns starter Cole McCurry pitched six scoreless innings allowing four hits, walking none and striking out seven. Patrick Egan threw three scoreless innings for the Birds in relief of McCurry. Brandon Cooney gave up the three runs in the tenth and saw his record fall to 0-1.

The Captains will play game two of the four game series with Delmarva on Friday at 7:05 PM. The Captains will send LHP Ryan Miller (0-1, 6.23) to the mound against the Shorebirds RHP Ryan O’Shea (0-0, 1.80).

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