Game Recaps: Monday 6/1

Clippers rock Tides 16-3

The Clippers avoided the sweep with a 16-3 blowout of the Norfolk Tides on Monday.
Columbus sent fifteen batters to the plate in the third inning, scoring eleven runs on seven hits. Matt LaPorta and Jordan Brown each scored twice in the inning. The mark tied the Clippers team record for runs in an inning, a feat last accomplished in 1992.

Five Clippers batters had at least two RBIs, with Marte collecting four and LaPorta three. When Michael Brantley singled home Andy Cannizaro in the eighth, every Clipper in the starting line-up had crossed home plate.

Jack Cassel evened his record with his fourth win of the season. Spotted a fifteen run lead after four innings, Cassel only allowed three tallies on eight hits in seven innings of work. He gave up back-to-back doubles in the sixth that scored two runs and a solo home run to Melvin Dorta in the seventh.

The Clippers started scoring in the second inning when LaPorta launched a mammoth shot to left-center for his first homer since returning to Columbus. Brown followed with a double and would score when Marte singled.

The third inning proved to be a historic one for the Clippers. LaPorta had two RBI singles in the inning; Toregas had a two-run double, as did Graffanino. Marte's second at bat of the inning brought home three more runs and gave the Clippers a 13-0 lead.

Brantley and Graffanino both reached base with two outs in the fourth. Travis Hafner doubled to deep center to bring home both runners.

The Clippers damage was done against Tides starter Radhames Liz and reliever Ross Wolf. Liz allowed seven runs in 2.1 IP and Wolf gave up eight runs in 1.1 IP. Four tides finished the night with 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball, including one frame from left fielder Brandon Pinckney.

The Clippers hit the road to begin an eight-game road trip, starting in Charlotte. Columbus' LHP Zach Jackson (3-2, 3.09) will get the start against the Charlotte Knights and RHP Jose Contreras (2-1, 3.04). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 pm from Knights Stadium.

Aeros Outlast Phillies, 13-10 in 12 Innings

It took season-highs in runs, hits, innings and time of game, but Akron at long last completed an impressive comeback and snapped its four-game losing streak, defeating Reading 13-10 in a 12-inning, 4:31 marathon before 3,139 fans at FirstEnergy Stadium Monday night. The Aeros improved to 33-16 while the R-Phils slipped to 27-22.

Reading jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings, but Akron battled back with three runs in both the fourth and fifth frames to claim a short-lived 6-5 advantage. The Phillies responded with three in the bottom of the fifth to go back on top at 8-6, but Akron’s John Drennen (just recalled from Class A Kinston the day before) socked a two-run homer to right field to knot the game at 8-8 in the top of the seventh.

Things really got interesting in the ninth, as the Aeros looked to win it in regulation. Drennen and Cristo Arnal collected back-to-back singles with two down in the top of the inning, and Jose Constanza drove a two-run double over the head of Michael Spidale in left field to put Akron in front at 10-8. The Aeros then called on closer Vinnie Pestano, but he suffered his third blown save of the season as Paul Bako’s two-out RBI single to right pushed the game to extra innings.

Both sides left a runner in scoring position in the 10th, and the Aeros stranded Arnal at third base in the 11th before finally putting Reading away for good in the 12th. Carlos Santana, who caught all 12 innings and suffered through numerous foul tips behind the plate, ripped a one-out double into the right field corner off Joe Bisenius to start the rally. Jared Goedert grounded to short for the second out, but Armando Camacaro, who was only playing because DH Nick Weglarz was ejected in the seventh, grounded a single back up the middle to score Santana and put Akron in front to stay. Jerad Head then followed with a knock to right, and Drennen put an exclamation point on the affair with a two-run double to left-center to account for the final margin.

Erik Stiller (2-3) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief, and his performance came just a day after working two shutout innings in Sunday’s loss at Erie. He has not allowed a run in his last four appearances, spanning eight innings. Bisenius (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing all three runs and all four hits in the 12th. Drennen and Arnal paced the offense from the final two spots in the order, as the former finished 3-6 with a homer and five RBI and the latter tied a franchise record with five hits in the game. Drennen had totaled just 10 RBI in 21 games with Akron to open the year before busting loose, while Arnal finished 5-7 and was the first Aero to reach the five-hit plateau since Kevin Kouzmanoff on May 4th, 2006.

Not to be outdone, Goedert finished 2-6 with three RBI and Constanza collected two hits and two RBI. Beau Mills and Santana also had two-hit nights, with Mills scoring two runs and Santana crossing home plate three times. The Aeros set season-highs with 13 runs and 20 hits, and also with 14 runners left on base as a team. The club went 6-19 with runners in scoring position, and scored seven runs with two out in an inning (including the final five runs).

Game two in this four-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, and one can only guess what the teams will have as an encore. Left-hander Ryan Edell (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will start for Akron while Alex Concepcion (1-1, 3.45 ERA) goes for Reading.

Chisenhall Homers as Kinston beats the Blue rocks 3-2

Lonnie Chisenhall hit a two-run home run as the K-Tribe beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks 3-2 to open a short three game set Monday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.

The Indians trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning when Lonnie Chisenhall hit a two-run home run to even the score. It was Chisenhall’s team leading ninth home run of the season. Chisenhall now leads the Carolina League with 42 RBI and is tied for second in home runs. Kinston would take the lead later in the inning on a big blunder by Wilmington’s first baseman Clint Robinson. With Kinston’s Ryan Blair on second base and Alex Castillo at first, Nate Recknagel hit a routine grounder to shortstop Jeff Bianchi. Bianchi started what looked to be an inning ending double play, flipping to second base for the force. As second baseman Johnny Giavotella threw to first, Clint Robinson was off the bag in foul territory allowing the ball to get by and Blair to score the lead run. Giavotella was charged with the error and an unearned run was scored.

Wilmington starter Eduardo Paulino (1-3) was the tough luck loser for the Blue Rocks. Kinston starter Ryan Morris (3-5) was solid in his second straight win, giving up four hits and two earned runs in six innings. Morris struck out six and walked four. Chen-Chang Lee pitched two innings or scoreless ball, giving up two hits. Lee struck out four and did not walk a batter. Kinston closer Dallas Cawiezell picked up his sixth save of the season, giving up one hit and striking out one in the ninth inning.

The K-Tribe returns to Historic Grainger Stadium Tuesday night at 7pm for the middle game of the short three game home stand.

Captains Hold Off Power

Alexander Perez struck out a season high ten batters and the Lake County Captains held off a ninth inning rally to defeat the West Virginia Power 4-3 on Monday.

The Captains took the lead in the top of the fourth inning when Donnie Webb singled off of Power starter Gabriel Alvarado and then went to second on a ground out. Adam Abraham doubled Webb home and it was 1-0. The game was tied up in the bottom of the fourth inning when Robbie Grossman singled off of Captains starter Alexander Perez and stole second base. He then stole third and the throw went into left field off the glove of Captains third baseman Adam Abraham and that allowed Grossman to score.

The Captains went back on top in the top of the fifth inning when Chris Nash singled and scored three batters later when Delvi Cid reached on an infield hit and it was 2-1. The Captains added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning on RBI singles from Chris Nash and Doug Pickens. The Power made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning scoring twice off of Captains closer Steve Smith when Quincy Latimore hit a two run home run to end the scoring at 4-3.

Perez (4-2) picked up the sin going six innings and allowing one unearned run on only two hits, walking two and striking out ten. Steve Smith pitched the ninth inning to pick up his ninth save of the year.

Power starter Gabriel Alvarado (2-4) got the loss pitching 5.1 innings and allowing a two runs on five hits, walking two and striking out one.

The series wraps up on Tuesday at 11:15 AM with the Captains sending LHP T.J. McFarland (2-2, 3.76) to the mound against Power LHP Tyler Cox (0-4, 10.35).

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