Game Recaps: Sunday 8/16

Columbus downs Indianapolis 4-2

The Clippers salvaged the final game of the series at Huntington Park. The scoring started in the fourth for the Indians. Brian Myrow opened the inning with a double, moving to third on a groundout and Tagg Bozied singled to score Myrow. Neil Walker doubled to bring Bozied home and put the Indians up 2-0.

The Clippers came right back in the bottom of the fourth and cut the lead in half. With two outs, Lou Marson and Stephen Head singled to right field. Jesus Merchan singled to left, scoring Marson. The Clippers went ahead to stay in the sixth. Marson singled up the middle with one out and Head stroked a two-run homer to left to make it 3-2. In the seventh, Tony Graffanino's grounder in the seventh plated Josh Barfield for the final run of the game.

Clippers starter Carlos Carrasco allowed only two runs (one earned) in his first seven innings. Jose Veras replaced Carrasco with two on and two outs in the eighth and Jeff Clement flew out to left ending the threat. Greg Aquino pitched a scoreless ninth to wrap up the win. The Clippers travel to Toledo to take on the Mud Hens at 7:05pm.

Aeros Avoid Sweep with 8-1 Win

Akron pounded four home runs – two off the bat of Carlos Rivero – and the Aeros rolled to an 8-1 win before 4,908 fans at New Britain Stadium Sunday afternoon. Akron avoided a three-game sweep and finished 3-3 on this six-game road trip, while also improving to 74-47 on the year. The Rock Cats fell back to the .500 mark at 60-60 with the defeat.

The Aeros got a three clutch runs in the bottom of the first, as Matt McBride refused to let New Britain starter Cole DeVries off the hook after Jose Constanza singled to start the game and Carlos Santana walked with one dawn. DeVries recovered to get Beau Mills on a pop-up for the second out, but McBride drove a 2-2 fastball inside the left field foul pole for a three-run homer and a quick 3-0 lead.

The Aeros would add two runs in the second and single runs in the third, fifth and sixth to finish off the scoring. Josh Tomlin (12-8) got the win by pitching five innings of one run baseball, adding six strikeouts. With the victory, Tomlin is now tied with Reading’s Joe Savery for the league lead in wins.

Akron is off Monday night but returns to action at Canal Park at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday evening. Left-hander Scott Barnes (1-0, 3.60 ERA) takes the hill for the Aeros against Bowie’s Brandon Erbe (3-3, 2.26 ERA).

The K-Tribe Wins Again, Sweeps Salem

Another fantastic starting pitching performance propelled Kinston to a 7-2 win and a three game sweep over Salem. The Indians are now in second place in the Carolina League Southern Division and a half game ahead of Salem for the last playoff spot. Kinston won their final seven meetings of the season over the Red Sox, winning the season series 11-9.

Paolo Espino was sensational, retiring the last 14 batters he faced. Espino (5-6) went six innings, giving up an unearned run on just two hits. Espino walked one and struck out five for the win. The Kinston starter now sports a 2.70 ERA, the second lowest in the Carolina League. Kinston starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 2.15 over the last 32 games.

Santo Frias kept Espino’s good start going, retiring the first four batters he faced until he hit Zach Borowiak with a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning. Espino and Frias combined to retire 18 Salem hitters in a row; Kinston pitchers retired 19 Salem hitters in a row on Saturday night.

It was another total team effort for the K-Tribe offense, as seven different players knocked in a run and everyone in the lineup reached base safely.

The K-Tribe took advantage of a Salem error in the top of the second inning when Rivas reached with one-out. Alex Castillo then tied the score at one, driving Rivas home with an RBI double. Lucas Montero then knocked Castillo home with an RBI of his own. Cord Phelps finished the scoring with an RBI single to put Kinston up 3-1. The K-Tribe would put up another run in the top of the third inning when Rivas drove in Adam Davis with a single. Kinston would break the game open in the sixth inning when Fedroff, Ole Sheldon and Adam Davis each had RBI hits. Montero, Fedroff, Davis and Castillo each had two hits and an RBI for Kinston. Fedroff, now hitting .297, racked up two hits for his fifth straight game, extending his overall hit streak to 16 games and his consecutive on base streak to 35.

The K-Tribe enjoys a scheduled off day on Monday, then kicks off a three day homestand with a double header on Tuesday at Historic Grainger Stadium. Game time 6pm on Tuesday as Kinston takes on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Russell Young is scheduled to start in game one, Bryce Stowell will take the hill in game two.

Three Run Homers Lead Captains over the Braves

Mark Thompson and John Allman each hit three run home runs to lead the Lake County Captains to an 11-6 win over the Rome Braves on Sunday. The game was interrupted by a rain delay of 1:26 in the top of the eighth inning.

The Captains took the lead in the bottom of the first inning when Mark Thompson singled and stole second. Two batters later Nate Recknagel single home Thompson and the Captains led 1-0. The Braves rallied back in the top of the second inning when Samuel Sime doubled home two runs and Ryan Barba plated another run with a sacrifice fly and the Braves led 3-1. The Captains put up four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a bases loaded sacrifice fly by Dan DeGeorge and the homer by Thompson and the Captains led 5-3. Allman hit his blast in the bottom of the fifth inning to up the lead to 8-3.

The lead went to 10-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Recknagel doubled home Delvi Cid and Donnie Webb knocked in Recknagel. The Braves got two runs in the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run by a Shayne Moody, his first career homer, and a ground out by Luis Sumoza and the lead was cut to 10-5. Recknagel added another RBI double in the bottom of the eighth ninth inning and the Braves got a run in the top of the ninth to finish the scoring at 11-6.

Captains starter Jason Knapp did not get a decision going 3.2 innings and allowing three runs, two earned on four hits while striking out five. Kaimi Mead (3-3) relieved Knapp and recorded the last out fourth inning and picked up the win. Trey Haley came on in the fifth inning and went 3.2 innings and allowed two runs before the rain arrived. Anillins Martinez pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed a run.

Braves starter Yeliar Castro did not a get decision either working only two innings and allowing one run on three hits, walking two and striking out three. Michael Mehlich (1-1) took the loss pitching three innings and allowing seven runs on five hits, walking three and striking out four.

The Captains and Braves wrap up the series on Monday at 7:00 PM with the Captains sending LHP Nick Hagadone (0-2, 2.93) to the mound to face RHP Julio Teheren (1-1, 3.75).

Scrappers Win 4-2

On Sunday night the Mahoning Valley Scrappers finished up their six game homestand with a 4-2 victory over the Lowell Spinners. With the win, the Scrappers are now 36-21, tied for the best record in the New York Penn League with the Brooklyn Cyclones and leading the Williamsport Crosscutters by three games in the Pickney Division.

Scrappers starter Vidal Nuno worked the first seven innings and surrendered one run while striking out a career high six. Austin Adams pitched the final two innings and allowed one run as he recorded his first save of the season.

The Scrappers scored first in the 3rd inning with a Jesus Brito lead off double, who moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a fielders choice RBI ground out by Tim Plaincsar. Mahoning Valley doubled its lead in the 5th when Palincsar hit his first home run of the season. The Scrappers continued to expand the lead in the 6th inning when Juan Aponte delivered an RBI single and Jordan Henry was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive home the second run of the inning. The Spinners were able to score single runs in both the 7th and 9th, but came up short in the 4-2 Scrappers victory.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are off for the All-Star break until Wednesday night when they take on the Hudson Valley Renegades.

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