Game Recaps: Sunday 5/31

Tides beat Clippers again

The Norfolk Tides beat the Clippers 7-3 on Sunday at Huntington Park.
One bad inning spoiled Chuck Lofgren's debut. He gave up four runs in the fourth inning and that was all the Tides needed to knock off the Clippers for the third straight day.

The Tides got on the board in the second inning; Jolbert Cabrera singled and eventually scored on a single by Steve Torrealba. Lofgren allowed the Tides to load the bases before Justin Christian doubled to left center field, scoring three more runs.

The Clippers cut the lead in half in the fourth thanks to a two out Michael Aubrey double followed by a homer from Tony Graffanino.

Columbus drew within one in the fifth when Wyatt Toregas opened the inning with a single and scored from third when Josh Barfield grounded into a double play.

The Tides pulled away in the eighth on a double by Justin Turner and an Oscar Salazar two-run blast. The Tides finished off the scoring with a single tally in the ninth.

Tides starter Andy Mitchell garnered the win, allowing three runs in six frames. Kam Mickolio and Chris Ray delivered three shutout innings with Ray earning the save.

Jeff Herrmann relieved Lofgren in the fifth and pitched three scoreless innings for the Clippers. Masa Kobayashi, Tony Sipp and Rich Rundles combined for the final two innings of work, allowing three runs.

The Clippers and Tides finish the series Monday at 6:35pm.

SeaWolves Complete Sweep, Down Aeros 7-2

The Aeros were swept for the first time all season Sunday, falling to Erie 7-2 before 4,063 fans at Jerry Uht Park. Akron was out-scored 22-11 in the three games, and was swept in a three-game series for the first time since August 22-24 of last year at New Britain. Erie improved to 29-19 with the win and pulled within three games of the first-place Aeros (32-16) in the Southern Division.

Akron opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first, but it could have been much more. Jose Constanza began the contest with a smash to first for an infield single, and Erie starter Luis Marte then issued consecutive walks to Carlos Rivero and Beau Mills to load the bases. Carlos Santana followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Aeros a quick 1-0 lead, but Marte recovered to get Jared Goedert and Nick Weglarz on fly balls to escape any further damage.

Aeros starter Jeanmar Gomez ran into trouble in each of the first two innings but escaped by stranding runners at the corners in both frames. He was not as fortunate in the third however, as Andy Dirks tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single to right and Mike Holliman followed with a two-run triple off the wall in right-center to make it 3-1 (Holliman was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it to an inside-the-park home run).

The SeaWolves pulled away in the fourth, scoring four runs on six hits in the inning for the second straight game. Cale Iorg led off with a bloop single to center, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on Scott Sizemore’s liner up the middle. Max Leon followed with a base hit, and two batters later Ryan Strieby tripled in both runners with a drive off the top of the wall in center. Alex Avila then capped the scoring with an RBI knock to right, pushing the Erie advantage to 7-1.

Akron added a run in the eighth on Santana’s second sac fly of the afternoon to account for the final margin.

Marte (3-5) earned the win with seven excellent innings, allowing just a run on two hits while walking four and striking out three. Gomez (4-2) lost for the second straight start following his perfect game against Trenton May 21st, getting roughed up for seven runs and a dozen hits in just four innings. He walked two and struck out three. Matt McBride finished 2-4 to lead the offense, while Santana drove in both runs and now leads the club with five sac flies on the year.

Akron’s marathon 10-day, three-city road trip continues Monday night with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at Reading. The Aeros have not yet announced a starter, while the Phillies will go with Mike Stutes (3-1, 4.00 ERA).

Winston-Salem Slips by Kinston 4-3

The K-Tribe had the tying run on third base in the top of the ninth inning, but a bang-bang double play on a hard hit line drive ended the game and secured a 4-3 Winston-Salem win.

Kinston was shut out through the first seven innings of the game as Winston-Salem starter Charlie Shirek gave up just three hits while not walking a batter until the eighth inning. In the eighth, Shirek walked two K-Tribers before the Dash went to the bullpen. After a walk by Dash reliever Hector Santiago loaded the bases, Kinston’s Cord Phelps made him pay with a bases loaded, two RBI double. The K-Tribe would score another run on a passed ball later in the inning to cut the Winston-Salem lead to one.

With the Indians down 4-3, Johnny Drennen led off the top of the ninth inning with a double and was bunted over to third base by Alex Castillo. With the Winston-Salem infield pulled in, Kinston’s Ryan Blair hit a rocket to shortstop Greg Paiml, who made the catch and threw to third to double up Drennen and end the game.

Charlie Shirek (8-1) got his Carolina League leading eighth win of the season for Winston-Salem. Henry Mabee picked up his fourth save of the season. Kinston starter Eric Berger (3-3) was the tough luck loser, giving up just one earned run on six hits in five innings. Berger walked two and struck out two, lowering his ERA to 2.37.

The Kinston Indians return to Historic Grainger Stadium for the short three game home stand with Wilmington on Monday night. Game time 7pm as Ryan Morris takes the hill for the K-Tribe. Kinston will continue the series with a 7pm start on Tuesday and a special 11am game on Wednesday.

Power Outslug Captains 11-9

Bobby Spain hit two home runs and drove in five runs as the West Virginia Power defeated the Lake County Captains 11-9 on Sunday. The game featured four home runs, three triples and two doubles.

The Captains jumped out to a three run lead in the top of the second inning when Michael Valadez hit a three run home run off of Power starter Kyle McPherson that scored Adam Abraham and Donnie Webb and it was 3-0. Spain put the Power on the board hitting a home run off of Captains starter Danny Salazar in the bottom of the second inning and it was 3-1. The Power took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Quincy Latimore drove in a run as did Spain and another run scored on an error and West Virginia led 4-3.

The Captains stormed back in the top of the sixth inning when Donnie Webb hit his second triple of the game with this one scoring Abner Abreu. John Allman followed with a two run home run and the Captains led 6-4. The lead was short lived as Spain blasted a three run home run off of Anillins Martinez in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Power a 7-6 lead. The Captains tied it up at 7-7 in the top of the seventh inning when Adam White scored on a ground out by Karexon Sanchez.With Martinez still on the mound, the Power added four more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning highlighted by a three run triple by Eric Huber and Power got the lead back at 11-7. The Captains rallied back with two runs in the top of the ninth inning when Mark Thompson doubled home two runs but the Captains could not get any closer.

Salazar did not get a decision going five innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits hits, walking one and striking out one. Martinez (1-1) suffered the loss allowing seven runs in two innings of work. Wilson Ortiz (1-2) got win pitching 1.1 innings and allowing a run. Owen Brolsma got the final out of the game and picked up his first save.

Game three of the series is Monday at 11:15 PM with the Captains sending RHP Alexander Perez (3-2, 3.40) to the mound against Power RHP Gabriel Alvarado (2-3, 5.58).

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