Game Recaps: Wednesday 7/1

Clippers crushed

Columbus opened a two-game series against Toledo with a 12-4 loss. It was the seventh consecutive loss and 17th in the last 21 games for the Clippers.

Chuck Lofgren allowed two home runs in the first four innings before unraveling in the fifth. Lofgren walked three batters, two of which scored, and allowed six runs on four hits. He finished the night after that inning, allowing eight total runs on six hits and taking the loss.

Masa Kobayashi pitched the sixth inning and allowed three runs on four hits. Frank Herrmann chewed up the last three innings, allowing four hits and one run.

Andy Marte was an offensive bright spot for Columbus, collecting four hits. His tenth home run of the season in the second inning started the Clippers scoring and he later doubled home a run in the fourth. Andy Cannizaro had a RBI in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly.

Jordan Brown matched Marte with his tenth homer, a solo shot in the fifth. Brown and Marte combined for six of the eight hits and three of the four RBI for the Clippers.

Aeros lose 3-2

In what was supposed to be game one of a doubleheader, the Bowie Baysox slipped by the Aeros by a score of 3-2. Game two of the twinbill was rained out. The teams will now play two on Thursday night in Bowie instead.

The Baysox struck first against Akron lefthander Ryan Edell. With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Robert Valido hit a solo blast to left for his third home run of the season. The Baysox shortstop had fouled off four pitches before taking the ninth pitch of the at-bat out of the yard.

Bowie's offense would tally a single run in the second inning to double their lead. Second baseman Miguel Abreu reached on an error by Aeros shortstop Carlos Rivero to lead off the inning. One batter later, Abreu swiped his 16th base of the season as designated hitter Adam Donachie struck out swinging, putting himself in scoring position with two outs. Catcher Guillermo Rodriguez brought him home with an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0.

Akron came back with two runs of their own in the top of the third inning against Baysox starter John Mariotti. Jared Goedert singled to left field and Jose Constanza followed one batter later with a double into the left field corner to put runners on second and third. With Cristo Arnal at the plate, a sinker by Mariotti skipped past Rodriguez allowing Goedert to score as Constanza moved over to third. Arnal followed with a single as the Aeros tied the game at two apiece.

The Baysox came right back to take the lead again in the bottom of the inning. Jonathan Tucker singled to right center field to lead off the inning, advancing to second on a passed ball by Akron catcher Carlos Santana. After a free pass was issued to first baseman Eric Crozier, third baseman Mike Costanzo stepped to plate and laced an RBI single to right field. Crozier was thrown out trying to go from first to third on the play, but the Baysox took a 3-2 advantage they would not relinquish thanks to an outstanding effort by their bullpen.

Mariotti ran into some trouble in the fifth inning, getting ahead of Jerad Head 0-2 before hitting him with a pitch to put a runner aboard. Constanza moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt, and Mariotti walked Cristo Arnal to put two men on for Eastern League Player of the Week Nick Weglarz.

K-Tribe fall in extras

With the score tied at five in the top of the eighth inning, Lucas Montero led off with a walk and stole second base. A sacrifice bunt moved him to third base. With Adam Davis at the plate, Lucas Montero bolted towards home on an outside pitch that was not offered at by Davis. Montero was caught in a run down and later tagged out. The miscue ended the rally for Kinston.

In the top of the tenth inning, Jesus Sucre stretched a single into a double to take second with one away. After a Benji Johnson line out, Chad Lundahl hit a ground ball to Ronald Rivas that was mishandled. Rivas was charged with the error as Sucre advanced to third. Michael Fisher then scorched a base hit up the right field line to score Sucre and give Myrtle Beach a 6-5 lead.

Kinston bolted out to a 5-2 lead after six innings, starting with an RBI single by Roman Pena in the first inning. After RBI hits by Ronald Rivas and Ole Sheldon in the third inning, Kinston stretched the lead to 4-2 on a solo home run by Sheldon. It was Sheldon’s first homer of the season. Sheldon went 2-for-5 with two RBI. Kinston would complete the scoring with an Adam Davis RBI double in the sixth inning.

Myrtle Beach would score two runs in the seventh and one run in the eighth to force extra innings. Jonathan Holt (1-3) was the tough luck loser for Kinston; Michael Broadway (2-7) got the win in relief for Myrtle Beach.

Lake County wins close one

One big inning by the West Virginia Power did in the Lake County Captains on Wednesday afternoon as the Power stopped the Captains 5-4. The first place Power has taken the first two games of this four game series.

The Captains took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Walter Diaz walked. Wes Hodges and Adam Abraham both reached on infield singles to load the bases. Donnie Webb walked to drive in Diaz. Chris Nash grounded out with Hodges scoring and Abraham and Webb moving to second and third. A wild pitch scored Abraham with Webb taking third base. Mark Thompson hit a sacrifice fly to score Webb and it was 4-0.

The Power took the lead in the top of the sixth inning when they scored five times, highlighted by a three run home run by Quincy Latimore off of Captains reliever Kaimi Mead, and the Power lead 5-4.

Captains' starter T.J. House did not get a decision despite going five scoreless innings allowing only five hits, walking one and striking out one. Mead (0-1) took the loss allowing the five runs in the sixth inning. Power starter Quinton Miller got a no decision as well, hurling four innings and allowing four runs on two hits, walking three and striking out four. Noah Krol (1-0) picked up his first professional win pitching two scoreless innings. Wilson Ortiz pitched a scoreless ninth inning to get his first save of the year.

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