Game Recaps: Friday 5/29

Tides blast Clippers 13-2

Norfolk pounded Columbus 13-2 Friday night at Huntington Park. Kenny Ray made his first start in the opening game of a four-game set and it didn't go as planned. He gave up eight runs (five earned) in four innings.

The Tides got on the board first when in the second inning, Jolbert Cabrera scored on a throwing error by Andy Cannizaro. In the second inning, the Clippers tied the score on a Chris Gimenez homer to left. Melvin Dorta singled to start the third and Justin Christian doubled. Jeff Fiorentino blooped a single to left plating both runners. Justin Turner later knocked a double, scoring two to put the Tides up 5-1.

The Tides blew the game open in the fourth, scoring three more runs on a sacrifice fly by Christian and a two RBI single by Turner. The Tides added another run in the six after a triple by Florentino, who scored on a groundout.

The Clippers tried to rally in the seventh when Travis Hafner walked with the bases loaded scoring Wyatt Toregas, but the Clippers hit into a double play to end the threat. Tides reliever Freddy Deza pitched the final three innings to earn a save. The Tides finished the scoring with four more runs in the eighth.

David Pauley pitched six innings for the Tides in the victory. The Clippers used four pitchers; John Meloan, Blaine Neal and Masa Kobayashi followed Kenny Ray for Columbus. The Clippers and Tides meet again Saturday at 7:05pm. Kirk Saarloos pitches for Columbus and Chris Waters for Norfolk.

Akron Loses Back and Forth Affair, 11-8

Aeros pitching surrendered season-highs in both runs and homers as Erie took the opener of a three-game series 11-8 before 4,619 fans at Jerry Uht Park Friday night. The SeaWolves improved to 27-19 and pulled to within five games of first-place Akron (32-14).

Erie opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first against Josh Tomlin, but the Aeros responded immediately in the top of the second. A pair of walks opened the inning, and Jared Goedert’s base hit then loaded the bases with one away. Jerad Head followed with a walk to force in a run, Cristo Arnal beat out a fielder’s choice to tie the game, and Jose Constanza then put Akron in front by a run with an RBI single to center.

Joe Tucker’s solo homer in the bottom of the second retied the game at 3-3, but Beau Mills answered in the top of the third with a solo shot of his own on the first pitch of the inning, putting the Aeros up 4-3. Erie then tied it in the bottom of the third on Cale Iorg’s two-out double, but back came Akron once more as Head reached on a two-base throwing error, went to third on a sacrifice, and scored on Constanza’s second RBI single of the evening to make it 5-4.

The SeaWolves took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth though, as Max Leon drilled a two-run homer to right to make it 6-5. The Aeros then couldn’t capitalize on a leadoff double from Carlos Santana in the top of the fifth, and Erie broke the game open with five runs in the sixth, socking three home runs in the process. The clubs sat through a 31-minue rain delay in the eighth and Mills delivered a three-run homer in the ninth, but the Aeros still suffered their second consecutive defeat.

Alfredo Figaro (3-1) managed to go five innings to earn the win, allowing five runs (four earned) and five hits in five innings. Tomlin (5-3) lost his second straight start to Erie, surrendering six runs and eight hits in four innings. Mills led the way offensively with two homers and four RBI, joining Nick Weglarz as the second Aero with two homers in a game this year. Constanza finished 3-5 with two RBI, and Goedert also chipped in two hits. The 11 runs marked the first time this year that Akron had allowed double-digit runs in a game, and Erie hit six home runs in the contest.

The middle game in this three-game series is set for 6:35 p.m. Saturday, with Hector Rondon (6-2, 2.08 ERA) taking the hill for Akron against Erie’s Jonah Nickerson (2-3, 6.23 ERA).

Kinston Indians Win Their Third Straight Game

The K-Tribe won their third straight game, taking down Winston-Salem 5-2 Friday night in the Dash city.

Kinston hurlers Paolo Espino and Chen-Chang Lee limited Winston-Salem batters to just one hit after the first inning. Espino (1-1) was very good, picking up his first win of the season. The K-Tribe starter pitched a season high seven innings, giving up just three hits and two earned runs. He struck out three and walked three. Lee finished up, picking up his first save of the season with a perfect two innings. Lee struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The K-Tribe took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning when Cord Phelps hit a two-run home run, his first homer of the season. Kinston would add three more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Ronald Rivas started the frame with a triple and Johnny Drennen followed with a walk. Alex Castillo drove in Rivas with an RBI single. Lucas Montero finished the scoring for Kinston with a two-rbi single later in the inning, scoring Drennen and Castillo. Montero went 2-for-3; Lonnie Chisenhall was 2-for-4 on the night.

Winston-Salem starter Daniel Hudson (2-2) was saddled with the loss allowing all five runs. Former East Carolina Pirate Ricky Brooks pitched two scoreless innings for Winston-Salem, giving up one hit while striking out two. Brooks is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in seven appearances for the Dash, spending the first month of the season in extended Spring Training.

The K-Tribe returns to Winston-Salem on Saturday for game two of the three game series. Russell Young will get the start for Kinston, game time 7pm.

Captains Take Two of Three on Friday, Yeah Two of Three

The Lake County Captains and the Greensboro Grasshoppers made history on Friday at Classic Park as they finished the last three innings of a game that was suspended on Thursday night and followed it up with a doubleheader consisting of two seven inning games. The Captains took two of the three games.

The suspended game was picked up in the top of the fifth inning with the Captains leading 4-1. Karexon Sanchez had driven in two runs on Thursday and Abner Abreu and John Allman had also driven in runs. Abreu added the only run when play resumed hitting his fifth home run of the year as the Captains went on to win 5-1. T.J. McFarland did not qualify for the win as he went four innings on Thursday before the rain came. He allowed one run on two hits, walking one and striking out three. David Roberts (2-1) picked up the pitching duties and the win for the Captains hurling three scoreless innings. Johnny Dorn (6-2) took the loss.

In game one of the doubleheader, the Grasshoppers got to Captains starter Trey Haley in the top of the third inning scoring two runs on a sacrifice fly form Kevin Mattison and a RBI single by Jeremy Synan and it was 2-0. It went to 5-0 in the top of the fourth inning when Jake Smolinski hit a solo home run and Justin Bass followed with a two run shot. It was Bass’ third home run of the series. The Grasshoppers added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning to end the scoring at 7-0. Haley (0-3) took the loss and Tom Koehler (3-2) got the win.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Donnie Webb hit a bases loaded triple in the bottom of the second inning to give the Captains a 3-0 lead. The Hoppers scored runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings when Kevin Mattison and Justin Bass both hit solo home runs off of Eddie Burns to make it 3-2. Bryce Stowell started for the Captains and pitched three scoreless innings striking out six. Burns (1-1) got his first professional win pitching three innings and allowing the one run. Steve Smith notched his seventh save finishing the final 1.2 innings. Graham Johnson (1-1) took the loss.

The Captains embark on an eight game road trip beginning on Saturday at 7:05 PM in West Virginia. The Captains will send LHP T.J. House (1-5, 3.33) to the mound against Power LHP Rudy Owens (5-1, 2.81).

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