Luis Valbuena homered twice and Jordan Brown added another, plus another bases-loaded hit, as Columbus swept Pawtucket out of town, 11-7, in front a record-setting crowd of 12,517 Monday night at Huntington Park.
The Clippers jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the first inning, including two on a Brown single, which made him 11-for-14 on the season with the bases loaded.
Valbuena's first home run came with two men aboard in the fourth. He followed that up with a two-run shot in the sixth, and Brown went yard two batters later. An RBI single in the eighth gave Brown four RBIs on the evening, one fewer than Valbuena's tally. Both players finished the series with eight RBIs, and they combined for 18 hits in the four games.
Pawtucket was able to hang around all night long, thanks to four home runs of their own. A three-run blast from Gustavo Molina in the top of the sixth cut their deficit to 7-6, but that is as close as they would get.
Justin Germano got the win for the Clippers, pitching into the sixth inning and getting help from four different relievers. In a non-save situation, Vinnie Pestano struck out the side in the ninth on Columbus' 64th win of the season and sent a huge dime-a-dog night crowd home happy.
The Clippers continue their homestand Tuesday night when they welcome in Buffalo for the first of four at 7:05. It will be the first meeting of the season for the Clippers and the Bisons.
Baysox Take Opener, Defeat Aeros 10-5
The Bowie Baysox out-slugged the Aeros Monday night, earning a 10-5 victory in the first game of a three-game series at Canal Park. Amidst 29 total hits, nine doubles, four errors and nine pitchers used in the three-hour and 21-minute marathon, the Baysox jumped an extra game in the tight Western Division wild card race. With the win in front of the downtown Akron crowd of 7,661 fans on Dollar Dog Monday, second-place Bowie improved to 56-47 this season with a two-game lead over the 53-48 Aeros.
Eastern League All-Star Paolo Espino struggled in the start for Akron and allowed Bowie to take an early lead in the third. A Tyler Henson RBI single scored Greg Miclat and the Baysox added two more runs in the top of the fourth on a double from Carlos Rojas.
Trailing 3-0, the Aeros responded in the bottom of the fourth as designated hitter Matt McBride and first baseman Beau Mills began the frame with back-to-back doubles. Right fielder Jerad Head then scored Mills with a single but Bowie continued to hammer Espino later that inning. Jonathan Tucker knocked him out of the game with a one-out RBI double while reliever Steven Wright permitted two more hits to increase the deficit to 6-2.
Akron third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall returned the favor against Baysox starting pitcher Chorye Spoone in the fifth. Center fielder Jordan Henry drew a leadoff walk and after an out, Chisenhall lined a homer to right, cutting the deficit in half to only two runs.
Unfortunately, the Bowie offense stayed hot with three runs all against Wright in the sixth highlighted by a two-run single from Tucker. Aeros second baseman Jason Kipnis made it a 9-5 game with a double to score catcher Damaso Espino in the bottom of that frame against reliever Ryohei Tanaka. Steven Lerud then added the evening’s final run with a double to dead center field against new reliever Nick Hagadone in the eighth.
Tanaka (5-11) earned the win in just his second relief appearance of the season, allowing a run on three hits in 1.1 innings pitched. Espino (9-4) took the loss, snapping a streak of two straight quality starts in permitting the first five runs on 10 hits despite seven strikeouts in 4.1 frames. Wright struggled as well in surrendering the next four runs while Hagadone delivered two innings pitched on the night with one more run allowed.
All 18 batters recorded at least one hit, including 10 with at least two, as only Akron catcher Damaso Espino did not to reach base twice. John Drennen, Mills, and Head all collected two hits for Akron, as the latter extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games.
Cleveland Indians right-hander Anthony Reyes is the expected starter Tuesday for Akron as he continues his rehab assignment in Double-A against Bowie lefty Rick Zagone (1-2, 3.55 ERA).
Winston-Salem Scores Late, Beats Kinston 7-2
The Dash broke open a tie game with five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, going on to beat Kinston 7-2 Monday night in Winston-Salem. Kinston is now 0-8 at the new BB&T Ballpark in downtown Winston-Salem.
Kinston’s starting pitcher Austin Adams was strong early, shutting down the Dash through the first four innings. The game was locked in a scoreless tie until the bottom of the fifth inning. Kenny Williams Jr. started the bottom of the frame with an infield single. Dash catcher Luis Sierra stepped in and hit a shot that just got over the left field wall. It was Sierra’s third home run of the season. Adams went five innings, giving up seven hits and two earned runs. He struck out two and did not walk a batter.
Meanwhile, Winston-Salem’s starter Dylan Axelrod shut down Kinston. Axelrod gave up six hits in seven strong innings, walking two and striking out six. The Indians would come to life in the late innings against the Dash bullpen. In the top of the eighth inning off of Dash reliever Brandon Kloess, Doug Pickens bounced a ball to shortstop Drew Garcia who delivered a wild throw to first. Pickens would reach on the error by Garcia. After a Lucas Montero walk, Karexon Sanchez delivered his team leading eighth sacrifice bunt of the season to advance the runners. After Abner Abreu struck out, Jeremie Tice delivered a two-out, two RBI hit. The clutch knock tied the score at two.
Kinston reliever Marty Popham cruised through his first two innings of relief but things fell apart in the bottom of the eighth. With the score tied at two, Jon Gilmore delivered a lead-off double. After a Seth Loman grounder advanced Gilmore to third base, Ozzie Lewis was intentionally walked. Jose Martinez then hit a flare into foul territory down the right field line. The foul ball was run down and caught by Abreu, but Gilmore tagged and scored from third to give the Dash a 3-2 lead. With Lewis at second, Logan Johnson then hit a hard grounder to the right side. Kinston’s second baseman Sanchez made a great diving stop, but the throw from his knees just pulled Tice off the bag. Johnson was safe and Lewis scored on the play. Kenny Williams followed with an RBI double and Sierra finished off the inning a two-run home run, his second of the game. The Dash batted around in the bottom of the eighth, scoring five runs on four hits. Popham (1-4) took the loss, giving up five hits and five earned runs in three innings. Popham walked one and struck out two. Kloess got the blown save and win, Tyson Corley closed things out with a perfect ninth inning. Abreu and Bo Greenwell each had two hits for Kinston.
The K-Tribe takes on the Dash for game two of the three game series Tuesday night at 7pm. T.J. McFarland will take the hill for Kinston.
Captains Rally Falls Short
Greg Folgia hit a two run home run and drove in three runs but if was not enough as the Peoria Chiefs defeated the Lake County Captains 6-5 on Monday. The Chiefs won two of the three games of the series.
Nelson Perez led off the top of the second inning with his sixth home run of the year. After the Chiefs loaded the bases, Cerda singled home two runs and the Chiefs led 3-0. The Chiefs added another run in the top of the third inning when Jonathan Mota singled home a run and it was 4-0. The Captains cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third inning when Jason Smit doubled and scored on a home run by Greg Folgia, his fourth of the year, to make it 4-2.
The Chiefs got the two runs right back in the top of the fourth inning when Hak-Jun Lee singled home a run as did Cerda and the lead was up to 6-2. The Captains got a run in bottom of the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly by Folgia and it was 6-3. The Captains inched closer in the bottom of the eighth inning when Argenis Martinez knocked in Delvi Cid then scored on a single by Kyle Smith to cut the lead to 6-5.
Captains starter Trey Haley (5-6) took the loss pitching 3.1 innings and allowing six runs, four earned, on nine hits, walking four and striking out two. Preston Guilmet followed Haley and threw 3.2 scoreless innings allowing one hit and striking four. Jose Flores came on in the eighth inning and threw two scoreless innings allowing two hits and striking out one.
Chiefs starter Nick Struck (5-8) got the win working five innings allowing two runs on three hits while walking one. Danny Keefe pitched scoreless ninth inning to pick up his first save of the year.
The Captains resume Eastern Division play on Wednesday as the West Michigan Whitecaps return to Classic Park for a three game series with all three games beginning at 7:00 PM. The Captains will have RHP Clayton Cook (5-6, 3.68) on the mound to oppose the Whitecaps RHP Luis Angel Sanz (1-5, 5.91).
Scrappers swept by State College
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers were swept by the State College Spikes losing game two 6-4 Monday night at Eastwood Field. The Scrappers are now on a season-high five game losing streak.
Zack Dodson got the win for the Spikes pitching 2.2 hitless innings of relief, giving up one run and walking four. Jason Townsend picked up his second save of the season coming in from the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth inning to close it out.
Mike Rayl picked up his fourth loss of the season despite lasting five innings and giving up just two runs on six hits.
The Scrappers are off on Tuesday before heading to Jamestown for a three-game series against the Jammers beginning Wednesday.
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2 comments:
Tony,
I noticed that Hagadone came out of the bullpen last night, pitching 2 innings, and allowing a run with his usual control issues.
Do you know whether the Indians have permanently moved him to the BP, or is this just a temporary situation as he works through his physical and performance problems?
From what I understand, no, he has not been permanently moved to the bullpen. I think he will be back in a piggyback or starting situation soon once he is cleared and when Reyes is gone.
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