Game Recaps: Sunday 8/23

Clippers outlast Indy 2-1 in 12 innings

The Clippers snapped a six-game losing skid with a 2-1 win in 12 innings at Indianapolis. The Clippers scored first in the third inning when Niuman Romero singled and scored on Wes Hodges' base hit.

Hector Rondon authored five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits heading into the sixth frame. The Indians finally got to the Venezuelan righty with three hits, scoring on a Jeff Clement ground out to tie the game. Indians starter Eric Hacker went five innings for Indy and Rondon tossed seven frames, both allowed one run and neither factored in the decision.

The score stayed knotted until Josh Barfield led off the 12th inning with a homer against Jeremy Powell, who was in his fourth inning of relief work. Greg Aquino slammed the door for the save. R.J. Swindle picked up the win by virtue of a scoreless 11th inning. Jose Veras and Frank Herrmann combined for three shutout innings prior to Swindle's appearance.

Ryan Edell matches up against Indy's Brad Lincoln in the second game of the series. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm Monday.

Four More Homers Power Erie

The SeaWolves pounded four home runs for the second straight game, including three in the bottom of the first inning, and never looked back en route to an 8-1 triumph over Akron before 3,101 fans at Jerry Uht Park Sunday afternoon. Erie improved to 66-59 and pulled to within a half-game of Reading for the wild card in the Southern Division, while the Aeros fell to 77-49. Reading's loss at New Britain also lowered Akron's magic number to seven to clinch the division.

The Aeros threatened in the top of the first, as Jose Constanza singled to start the game and Carlos Santana added a base hit two batters later. Erie starter Ramon Garcia doused the fire there however, getting Matt McBride on a foul out and Jared Goedert on a fly to center to end the frame.

The SeaWolves then went right to work in the bottom of the first, as Danny Worth ripped a double past Goedert at third base on Scott Barnes' first pitch of the game. Barnes then walked the next two hitters to load the bases, and Ryan Strieby made him pay with a grand slam to right-center to make it 4-0. Casper Wells followed with a solo bomb, and two batters later Santo de Leon went deep to push the margin to 6-0. Strieby homered again leading off the third and de Leon added an RBI double as Erie led by eight after just three innings.

Akron loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth but couldn’t score, as Deik Scram threw out Jose Constanza at the plate on McBride's fly ball to left. A double play thwarted another chance in the seventh, although the Aeros finally avoided the shutout in the eighth on Goedert's RBI double.

Garcia (3-3) blanked Akron for 5.2 innings, allowing just four hits and a walk while not recording a strikeout. Barnes (1-1) was touched for eight runs and six hits in five innings before Carlton Smith and Neil Wagner combined to record the final nine outs in order. Akron out-hit the SeaWolves 8-6, with only John Drennen finishing without a knock.

The Aeros will look for a split in this four-game series Monday night at 7:05 p.m., as southpaw Eric Berger (1-1, 3.57 ERA) takes on Erie lefty Jon Kibler (6-8, 4.17 ERA).

The K-Tribe Drops Both Games to Wilmington

The Kinston Indians dropped the final two games of their series with Wilmington, both by the score of 3-1, Sunday afternoon in Delaware. It is the first time Kinston has lost back-to-back games in August. The losses also give Wilmington the series, as Kinston drops their first series of the month as well.

In the second game of the day, Wilmington got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Jamar Walton hit and RBI double, driving in Clint Robinson. The Blue Rocks would expand their lead when Mike Moustakas hit a home run in the bottom of the third inning, his team leading 14th of the season. The Blue Rocks would extend their lead to 3-0 when Nick Van Stratten drove home Robinson with an RBI single, Wilmington’s third straight hit with two outs. The K-Tribe managed their only run of the game when Cord Phelps scored on an RBI ground out from Doug Pickens. Kinston managed just five hits, all singles, in the seven inning affair. Adam White went 2-for-2 with a walk for Kinston.

Kinston starter Russell Young (5-6) was saddled with the loss, giving up six hits and three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. Young walked one and struck out three. Jonathan Holt had a great outing from the bullpen for Kinston, pitching a perfect 1 1/3 innings.

The first game of the day was suspended by rain in the middle of the third inning on Saturday night and picked up at high noon on Sunday. Wilmington came out swinging when the game was finally resumed. The Blue Rock’s Derrick Robinson hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the third to break a 1-1 tie and give Wilmington a 2-1 lead. The Blue Rocks would add another run in the inning when Nick Van Stratten hit an RBI single. Kinston reliever Bryce Stowell (3-6) took the loss, giving up two runs and four hits in three innings. Alexander Perez made his first start for Kinston in three weeks, giving up three hits and a run in two innings. Dallas Cawiezell was great from the pen, giving up just one hit in three innings of work; he struck out four and walked one.

Kinston took an early 1-0 lead when Alex Castillo drove Kyle Haines home with an RBI single in the top of the second inning. Wilmington evened the score in the bottom of the frame when Jamar Walton scored on an RBI single from Chase Fontaine.

The K-Tribe now returns to Historic Grainger Stadium for the final homestand of the season this Monday through Sunday. Monday’s game starts at 7pm as the Advanced A Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, the Frederick Keys, invade Kinston. Chris Jones will take the mound for Kinston.

Captains and BlueClaws PPD on Sunday

The Lake County Captains game against the Lakewood BlueClaws scheduled for Sunday has been postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Monday August 24th with game one beginning at 5:05 PM.

The Captains will send RHP Trey Haley (3-7, 5.85) to the mound in game one to oppose the BlueClaws RHP Heitor Correa (7-6, 3.67). Game two starters are to be determined.

Scrappers Win 7-3

On Sunday night, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers played game five of a six game road trip and beat the Auburn Doubledays 7-3, improving their record to 40-22 overall. With the Scrappers win and Williamsport Crosscutters 8-6 loss to the Jamestown Jammers, the Mahoning Valley lead in the Pinckney Division has increased to seven games.

Scrappers starter Vidal Nuno pitched the first 4 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. Antwonie Hubbard relieved Nuno in the 5th and pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up one hit while striking out two; Hubbard’s outing recorded him his first victory of the season. Jeremy Johnson pitched the next 1 2/3 innings and allowed three hits and no runs. Cory Burns recorded the final out of the game and picked up his tenth save of the season.

The Scrappers offense wasted no time scoring first in the 1st on a Greg Folgia RBI single and a Jesus Brito sacrifice fly making it 2-0. Mahoning Valley increased the lead to 5-0 in the 4th when Tim Palincasr hit his second home run of the season deep over the right field wall. The Doubledays scored their only three runs in the in 5th, cutting the Scrapper lead down to 5-3. Mahoning Valley added two more runs in the 7th and went on to the 7-3 victory.

Monday, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers will conclude their six game road trip against the Auburn Doubledays, Brett Brach is scheduled to make the start for the Scrappers; he is 3-2 with a 2.55 ERA.

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