Game Recap 4/24: Bixler Homers Lead Clippers

Clippers Win Handily 7-1

The Columbus Clippers defeated the Toledo Mud Hens 7-1 Saturday night at Fifth Third Field.

After retiring the first seven batters, the Clippers got to Phil Dumatrait with one out in the third. Chris Gimenez and Anderson Hernandez hit back-to-back singles to get Columbus going. After Michael Brantley flew out to left field, Jason Donald hit an RBI double, scoring Chris Gimenez. With runners on second and third, Dumatrait was able to get Trevor Crowe to fly out to right to end the inning and minimize the Clipper threat.

Carlos Santana led off the fourth with his fifth home run of the season. Reigning league MVP Shelley Duncan nearly followed Santana with a homer of his own, but Jeff Frazier ran it down in deep left at the wall. After a double by Wes Hodges, Brian Bixler added to the Clipper lead with his first home run of the season, putting Columbus in front 4-0.

The Clippers tried to add on to their lead in the fifth, but were unable to do so. With two outs, Trevor Crowe stole third base. Dumatrait’s pitch got past Diaz and went all the way to the back stop. Crowe was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw by Diaz and was promptly thrown out of the game by home plate umpire Damien Beal for arguing his call.

Columbus got the run back in the sixth as Duncan scored from third when Daniel Schlereth, relieving Dumatrait, attempted to pick Gimenez off first and threw the ball in the dirt. The run put Columbus back up by four runs, 5-1.

In the seventh, Columbus got one more run. Michael Brantley led off the inning with a single. He would move up after Donald was hit by a pitch. The bases were loaded when Jose Constanza, who came on for Crowe, walked. The Hens looked like they could keep the Clippers at bay when Santana hit a grounder to third, but the ball wasn’t handled cleanly by Worth and he could only get one out. Brantley scored on the play.

Bixler led off the eighth with a home run to extend the Clipper lead to 7-1. It looked like Columbus would score more, but Casper Wells threw out Gimenez at the plate.

Carlos Carrasco picked up his second win of the season. He went seven innings, giving up six hits and one run. The Mud Hens and the Clippers continue their series Sunday and Monday in Columbus.

Akron Comes Back In 9th For Win

The Akron Aeros entered the 9th inning of Saturday's game trailing 6-5 but rallied for three runs and won the game 8-6. The game-winning clutch hit came off the bat of outfielder Tim Fedroff as his two-run double paved the way for the Aeros victory.

Outfielder Nick Weglarz hit his fourth home run of the season and finished the game 2-for-5 with 3 RBI. The red hot hitting Cord Phelps also chipped in going 2-for-4 at the plate.

On the mound lefty Scott Barnes got the start but his April struggles continued as he only managed to go three innings and gave up six runs on six hits, four walks and had seven strikeouts. Justin Germano, Erik Stiller, Neil Wagner, and Vinnie Pestano combined to pitch six innings of relief which allowed for the Aeros to come back and have a chance at rallying late in the game for the win.

The Aeros and Bay Sox square off again on Sunday, and right-hander Connor Graham is expected to get the start for the Aeros.

Kinston Beats Myrtle Beach 7-4

Jason Kipnis went 3-for-4 with a home run, as Kinston beat Myrtle Beach 7-4 Saturday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.

After Myrtle Beach put up three runs in the top of the first inning, Kinston came roaring back thanks to a Nate Recknagel two-run home run in the bottom of the frame. It was Recknagel’s first homer of the season.

Kinston would even the score in the bottom of the fourth inning when Kipnis led off with a solo shot. It was his team leading second round tripper of the season. Later in the inning, Doug Pickens would reach on a two-out single and advance to second base on a wild pitch. Roman Pena then grounded a ball to the Pelican’s first baseman Jerry Avila who underhanded a throw to the covering pitcher Randall Delgado. Delgado couldn’t make the catch and the ball ricochet down the right field line, allowing Pickens to score from second. Delgado was charged with the error and Kinston took a 4-3 lead.

Kinston would keep the pressure on with back-to-back singles from Ronald Rivas and Lucas Montero in the bottom of the fifth inning. After a Cristo Arnal ground out, Rivas would score on a wild pitch. Kipnis would drive in Montero with an RBI double later in the inning. Kipnis finished the night 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. The K-Tribe would finish the scoring when Kyle Bellows reached on an error to lead off the sixth inning, later scoring on a Pickens RBI single. Pickens finished the night 2-for-3.

Kelvin De La Cruz (1-2) picked up his first win of the season, giving up four hits and three earned runs in five innings of work. De La Cruz struck out three and walked one, giving up only one hit after the first inning. Bryce Stowell pitched great from the pen, giving up just one hit and an unearned run in 2 2/3 innings of work. Stowell has yet to give up an earned run in six appearances this season. Steve Smith picked up his league leading fourth save of the season with 1 1/3 innings of work.

The K-Tribe will try to take the series from Myrtle Beach Sunday at 2 pm at Historic Grainger Stadium. Nick Hagadone, who leads the Carolina League with a 0.00 ERA, will get the start for Kinston.

Captains Washed Out

The Captains game Saturday evening with the Hot Rods was postponed due to the weather. The teams will now play a doubleheader to wrap up their three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 3:05 PM EST at Bowling Green Ballpark.

Game one’s starters will be Joe Gardner (1-0) for the Captains, against the Hot Rods’ Jason McEachern (0-3). Danny Salazar (0-0) will start game two for Lake County matched up against Shane Dyer (0-1).

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