The Clippers ran their winning streak to a season-best six games Sunday night, with a second straight six-run victory over the Toledo Mud Hens, 6-0, in front of an Independence Day crowd of 10,300 at Fifth Third Field.
David Huff went six innings to improve to 3-0 on the season as a Clipper. He teamed with Jess Todd, Josh Judy and Justin Germano (who all worked single frames) on the seven-hit shutout.
The Clippers got on the scoreboard early, as Cord Phelps tripled and then came home on a Luis Valbuena sacrifice fly in the first inning. Columbus broke the game open in the fifth, getting back-to-back RBI-infield singles from Brian Bixler and Jose Constanza. Phelps then plated two more with another single.
Jared Goedert rounded out the scoring for Columbus with his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot in the eighth inning.
The win for the Clippers, coupled with an Indianapolis loss to Louisville, gives Columbus a season-high eight-game lead in the International League's West Division. The loss for Toledo was their 10th in a row.
The Toledo portion of the five-game set wraps up tomorrow at 5:05, before the teams head to Columbus for games Tuesday and Wednesday. Carlos Carrasco (7-3, 4.23 ERA) gets the ball for the Clippers opposite right-hander L.J. Gagnier (3-3, 3.83).
Aeros Fall 6-5 to Bowie in 11 Innings
The Bowie Baysox managed a series split with the Aeros on Independence Day, striking for a run in the 11th inning to earn the 6-5 victory. After dropping the first two contests in this four-game weekend series, the Baysox rallied again Sunday in front of the massive holiday night crowd of 8,864 fans at Prince George’s Stadium. Tim Fedroff and Beau Mills each had big offensive nights for Akron (40-42), but the team lost for the third time in as many extra inning contests this season and Bowie improved to 45-38 overall.
Baysox starter Chorye Spoone stranded the bases loaded in each of the first two innings while his offense struck in the bottom of the second. Brandon Waring nailed a one-out home run against Aeros lefty starting pitcher Nick Hagadone but the first baseman Mills tied the game at 1-1 with a first-pitch homer of his own to left field in the third.
Akron then quickly loaded the bases in the fifth as Fedroff singled to second, Lonnie Chisenhall reached first base on a hit-by-pitch and Matt McBride drew a walk. Mills earned the RBI with a free pass while a Jerad Head double play scored Chisenhall.
Now trailing 3-1, the Bowie attack retaliated in the bottom half of the fifth against new pitcher Paolo Espino. The right-hander recorded two straight outs to begin the frame before allowing a walk and a run-scoring double and in the sixth, catcher Caleb Joseph added to the trouble with a momentum-shifting two-out, three-run homer to left field.
The red-hot left fielder Fedroff singled to start the seventh, advanced on a groundout and a Mills RBI base hit cut the deficit to only a single run. Shortstop Cristo Arnal then scored on a clutch two-out single by Fedroff in the eighth, bringing the game to extra innings.
For the third straight time this season, the Aeros failed to score a run in the extra session as the Baysox stranded the bases loaded in the 10th before striking in the 11th. A Chisenhall throwing error brought runners to first and third and the second baseman Carlos Rojas provided the game-winning base-loaded single with one out in the frame.
Brandon Cooney (2-0) earned the win with three shutout frames for Bowie while Akron reliever Connor Graham (2-4) took the loss as he permitted four hits in 1.1 innings pitched. Hagadone provided one his finest starts in Akron, only allowing the early homer in four innings with three strikeouts before Espino struggled in permitting four runs in relief.
Fedroff starred again as he finished 4-for-5 on the night with two runs scored and an RBI after collecting three hits Saturday night as well. Mills finished 3-for-5 with three runs batted in along with two walks and the shortstop Arnal also singled twice.
After the long overnight bus ride home, the Aeros return home to Canal Park Monday for the beginning of a quick four-game home stand. Akron pitching prospect Alex White (3-4, 1.72 ERA) will be on the starting mound against Trenton’s Andrew Brackman (0-2, 4.50 ERA) in the series opener.
Kinston Lights Up Frederick 7-2
The K-Tribe used home runs by Kyle Bellows and Jeremie Tice to come back and beat Frederick 7-2 Sunday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.
The contest did not start off with a bang as Frederick got on the board first against K-Tribe starter T.J. McFarland. In the top of the third inning Phillip Britton singled, moved to second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a throw to first to complete a strikeout. Kyle Hudson hit an RBI double to score Britton with the first run of the game. In the fourth, Ronnie Welty led off with a double to deep right center and scored on an RBI single by Miguel Abreu to make it 2-0.
Kinston began the July fourth fireworks display early, starting in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kyle Bellows and Chun Chen hit back-to-back singles to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt by Juan Diaz moved the runners to second and third, Jeremie Tice blasted a three-run home to right center to give the K-Tribe a 3-2 lead. It was Tice's first hit and first runs batted in since being called up from Low A Lake County on Saturday. The K-Tribe exploded for more in the fifth inning. Bo Greenwell walked and Abner Abreu reached on an error. Then, Kyle Bellows hammered a three-run homer to dead center field that cleared the batter's eye 25 feet above field level at Grainger Stadium.
With a 6-2 lead, Kinston pitching cruised. McFarland (9-2) picked up his Carolina League leading ninth win of the season. His CL leading ERA stayed at 1.94. McFarland gave up on earned run on five hits in five innings. The Chicago native walked one and struck out four. Marty Popham made a fantastic first relief appearance of the season, earning the save by tossing four scoreless innings. He gave up just three hits, while striking out four and walking one. Frederick starter Oliver Drake (2-4) took the loss, giving up both Kinston home runs.
With the win Kinston (6-4, 42-38) takes the series from Frederick and goes for the three-game sweep of the Keys Monday night at Historic Grainger Stadium. Game time 7pm for a Monday Buck Night. Joey Mahalic (3-2, 3.38) takes the hill for Kinston.
Lugnuts Beat Captains 7-6 in 10
The Captains and the Lugnuts went back and forth all night in a thrilling contest, but in the end it was Lansing coming away with an extra inning walk off win, 7-6. Justin Jackson chopped a ground ball to second base; the ball took a nasty high bounce over Argenis Martinez into right field scoring two runs for the Lansing victory.
Lansing scored the first run of the game in the first inning, the leadoff hitter Kenny Wilson walked and after reaching third scored on a throwing error by left fielder Trent Baker for a 1-0 lead.
The Captains loaded the bases in the third inning, when Greg Folgia, Martinez and Delvi Cid all singled in order. With no outs, Casey Frawley hit into a double play but it was enough to score Folgia to tie the game at one.
Lake County took their first lead in the fifth inning; Folgia singled his second hit of the game to start things off. Martinez doubled down the right field line to put runners on second and third. Cid drove in a run with a ground out to short. Adam Abraham gave the Captains a 3-1 lead with a two out RBI single scoring Martinez.
Lugnuts’ first baseman Balbino Fuenmayor hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the fifth to cut into the lead at 3-2.
Lansing regained the lead in the eighth inning; a one out walk to Ryan Goins got things going. Kevin Nolan doubled off Preston Guilmet putting both runners in scoring position. Yan Gomes singled up the middle scoring both Goins and Nolan to give the Lugnuts a 4-3 lead.
The Captains answered in the ninth inning, Jason Smit lead off with a double to right. With one out, Trent Baker singled to center scoring Smit and the Captains tied the game at four.
Argenis Martinez led off the tenth inning with a single for his third hit of the game. Moments after making a fantastic defensive over the shoulder catch on his knees in right field and then doubling up a base runner in the ninth. Cid moved Martinez over with a sacrifice bunt. Casey Frawley struck out, but the ball got by the catcher Gomes and the Captains had runners on the corners. Adam Abraham drew a walk to the load the bases. Chris Kersten singled to centerfield driving in a pair of runs giving Lake County a 6-4 edge.
The ball bounced the Lugnuts way in the bottom of the tenth. Goins singled to leftfield with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. Nolan chopped a ball up the middle just out of the reach of second baseman Martinez. Gomes followed Nolan with another slow chop ball over the second base bag just out of the reach of a diving Martinez scoring a run. Ryan Schimpf hit one that bounced high over the head of the pitcher Jeremy Johnson, but Martinez slide in on his knees and scooped up the ball and threw out Schimpf for the second out, bringing Jackson up to the plate.
Brian Slover (3-3) picked up the win for Lansing pitching just 0.2 of inning allowing a hit and walking one. Johnson (0-1) suffered the loss pitching just 0.2 of inning allowing three runs on four hits. Trey Haley started the game for Lake County pitched 4.1 innings allowing two runs, one earned on four hits, walking two and striking out four.
Lake County and Lansing will continue the series on Monday night from Cooley Law School Stadium at 7:05PM. The Captains will send Clayton Cook (3-4) to the mound, matched up against the Lugnuts’ Dave Sever (2-4).
Scrappers Drop Independence Day Matchup
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers lost to the Connecticut Tigers 6-1 on Sunday at Dodd Stadium on Independence Day.
The Tigers scored five runs in the first four innings off of Scrappers starter Kirk Wetmore and never looked back, Wetmore lasted just four innings giving five runs on 10 hits, walking one, striking out four and picking up his second loss of the season. Patrick Cooper got the win for the Tigers pitching five innings of one-run ball.
The lone bright spot offensively for the Scrappers was Brian Heere's 2-3 performance. Heere drove in the only Scrappers run. The Scrappers look to snap a two-game slide tomorrow and win game two of the three game series against the Tigers. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
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