Game Recaps: Monday 8/3

Akron had a scheduled off day on Monday

Braves rally to beat Clippers 2-1

The Clippers couldn't hold a ninth inning lead and dropped a third straight to Gwinnett 2-1 on Monday night. The starter pitching was solid for both teams for the second straight night as Clippers lefty Chuck Lofgren and Braves southpaw John Halama exchanged scoreless innings until the sixth.

The Clippers broke the deadlock when Tony Graffanino doubled home Jason Donald after Donald's leadoff two-base hit.

Frank Herrmann relieved Lofgren in the eighth and Columbus couldn't hold the lead. Chris Burke reached on an error by Graffanino to start the Braves' ninth. Barbaro Canizares tripled into the right field corner scoring Burke and tying the game. Pinch-runner J.C. Holt scored the go-ahead tally on a sacrifice fly.

The Clippers went down quietly against Braves reliever Mariano Gomez in the bottom of the ninth. Gomez threw two scoreless frames and earned the win after Halama lasted seven, allowing one run.

Chuck Lofgren pitched well enough to win, but didn't factor in the decision. Hermann allowed two runs (one earned) in two frames.

The Clippers attempt to avoid the sweep on Tuesday at 12:05pm. Kenny Ray takes the mound for Columbus against Todd Redmond for Gwinnett.

Lynchburg Scores Late to Beat K-Tribe 2-0

A big ninth inning error doomed Kinston, as Lynchburg broke a scoreless tie in the top of the ninth inning to get past the K-Tribe 2-0 Monday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.

In the top of the ninth inning Lynchburg speedster Jose De Los Santos reached base with a one-out walk. A ground ball off the bat of the Hillcat’s Chase Darno was then booted by Kinston shortstop Ronald Rivas, allowing De Los Santos to get to second and Darno to reach first safely. Rivas was charged with his 20th error of the season. Josh Harrison then bounced into a fielder’s choice, moving De Los Santos to third. A two-out single by Jordy Mercer would bring home De Los Santos to break the scoreless tie. Harrison would score later on an RBI single from Matt Hague. Both runs were unearned off of K-Tribe reliever Dallas Cawiezell (1-4) who picked up the loss in his only inning of work.

Kinston newcomer Scott Barnes was solid in his second start for the K-Tribe, giving up four hits while striking out three in 4 2/3 innings. Barnes walked two. Mike McGuire pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 inning from the bullpen. Santo Frias pitched two scoreless innings for Kinston, giving up two hits. Going into the ninth inning, Kinston pitching had not giving up a run in 17 innings, dating back to Saturday’s shutout win at Myrtle Beach.

Former UNC Tar Heel Tim Fedroff went 3-for-5, banging out a majority of Kinston’s five hits on the night.

The K-Tribe returns to action Tuesday night at Historic Grainger Stadium, K-Tribe newcomer Bryan Price will take the hill for Kinston game time 7pm.

Captains Earn Series Split

John Allman collected three RBI’s as the Lake County Captains earned a split of the four game series against Kannapolis Intimidators winning 6-2 on Monday. The Captains are now 2.5 games behind Kannapolis in the Northern Division standings.

The Captains scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the first inning when Karexon Sanchez singled home Bo Greenwell and John Allman followed with a RBI single that scored Jeremie Tice and it was 2-0. The Intimidators took the lead in the top of the fifth inning when with two runners on Eduardo Escobar singled home a run and two batters later Drew Garcia doubled home two more runs and it was 3-2. Garcia is the grandson of former Indians manager Dave Garcia.

The Captains got the lead back in the bottom of the fifth inning when John Allman singled home Tice and Nate Recknagel and the lead was 4-3. The Captains tacked on two runs in the bottom of seventh inning when they scored a run on a fielder’s choice of the bat of Michael Valadez and the second run scored on a passed ball and the lead was 6-3.

Captains’ starter T.J. House (3-8) got the win going 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out six. Steve Smith pitched the final 1.2 innings and did not allow a run and picked up his nineteenth save of the year. Intimidators’ starter RHP Stephen Sauer (6-5) took the loss working 4.1 innings allowing four runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out three.

The Captains travel to Lakewood, NJ for a five game series beginning on Tuesday at 7:05 PM. The Captains will send RHP Danny Salazar (3-4, 4.78) to the mound to face the BlueClaws LHP Matthew Way (0-0, 0.00) who will make his BlueClaws debut.

Scrappers Sweep Homestand 4-1

On Monday night the Scrappers finished up their four game homestand with a 4-1 victory over the Auburn Doubledays. The Scrappers are now 5-0 this season at home against the Doubledays.

Trailing 1-0 after the top of the first the Scrappers responded with two runs. Jason Kipnis in his first Scrappers at bat singled home Jordan Henry, then Kipnis scored when Greg Folgia followed with an RBI double. In the third Kipnis tripled and then scored on Folgia’s RBI single. The Scrappers added a run in the eight and went on to win 4-1.

Scrappers starter Preston Guilmet worked the first five innings giving up one run and improving to 3-0 on the season against Auburn. Guido Fonseca pitched two scoreless innings before Cory Burns pitched the final two innings and recorded his sixth save of the season in six oppertunities.

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