The Columbus Clippers returned home to Huntington Park and dropped their second consecutive extra-inning affair to the Louisville Bats on Tuesday night, 4-3 as Chris Dickerson delivered the go-ahead hit in the twelfth inning off of Carlton Smith.
The Bats loaded the bases in the twelfth as Danny Dorn and Corky Miller reached base to begin the frame. After a sacrifice bunt by Michael Griffin and a walk to Drew Sutton, Dickerson capped off a great night with his third, and most important, hit of the night to left field.
Dickerson put Columbus in an early hole as he led off the game with his third home run of the year to right field off of Paolo Espino. The Bats would tack on another run in the third as Drew Sutton scored on a groundout by Zach Cozart.
The Clippers rallied in the fourth inning with help from Jerad Head, who laced a two-run single to left field with the bases loaded. Clipper newcomer, Richard Martinez, later gave Columbus the lead on an RBI groundout, scoring Cord Phelps. The Clippers' fourth inning three-spot was one of just three innings the Clippers have scored against Louisville in the series.
The Bats would later tie the game in the eighth against Clipper reliever, Jess Todd. Yonder Alonso grounded out to first base and Matt McBride's throw home was late as Dickerson slid home safely.
Espino made his Triple-A debut in grand style, but didn't factor in the decision, as he pitched seven innings, giving up only two runs on six hits while striking out four. Espino made the start in place of David Huff, who was called up to Cleveland for a start against the Red Sox.
The Clippers and Bats conclude their four-game, two-city series tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. at Huntington Park. Yohan Pino (8-6, 5.48) gets the start for Columbus against Matt Maloney (9-5, 2.91) of Louisville.
Altoona Sweeps Tuesday Twin Bill with Aeros
The first-place Altoona Curve defeated the Aeros twice Tuesday evening, earning a 4-3 victory in Game 1 followed by a 3-2 victory in the 10th inning in the finale. Akron ace Alex White took the loss in the opener in front of 4,542 fans at Blair County Ballpark while a quality start from lefty Matt Packer in his Akron debut was not enough in the extra-inning finale. Akron (56-52) has now lost four straight and moved into a fourth place tie in the Western Division with Harrisburg as Altoona improved to 63-46.
Altoona started the scoring in the bottom of the first against White in the opener. An RBI single by Andrew Lambo preceded an Aeros outburst against Curve lefty Justin Wilson in the second. Four hits, highlighted by back-to-back two-out hits from center fielder Jordan Henry and second baseman Jason Kipnis, gave the visitors an early 3-1 lead.
The lead did not last long as the Curve responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs and runners on first and third base. Yung-Chi Chen later delivered a two-run single and Chase d’Arnaud provided the game-winner on a base hit to right-center.
Wilson (9-6) retired the final 10 batters he faced through his six innings pitched, earning the crucial win while recovering from the rough second inning. White (6-5) allowed four earned runs for the first time in 14 Double-A outings, permitting seven hits in five frames. Michael Dubee recorded his second save of the year with a perfect seventh inning.
In the nightcap, Packer and Altoona starter Jared Hughes battled through the first two frames before Akron began the scoring in the third. Shortstop Cristo Arnal singled to begin the frame, stole both second and third and then scored on an error by Josh Harrison. The Curve tied the score at 1-1 on a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the bottom of that inning.
The Aeros used a small ball attack again in the fourth when Kipnis initiated the brief rally with a single. He moved to second on a wild pitch, took third on a Lonnie Chisenhall fly out and then scored on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Beau Mills. The lead stood until the bottom of the sixth when Harrison plated Chen with a clutch single to right-center.
The game advanced to extra innings where both bullpens maintained the dramatic tie until the bottom of the 10th. Chen continued his impressive evening with a single to left, moved to second on a controversial balk and scored on d’Arnaud’s walk-off base hit to right.
Dustin Molleken (4-4) earned the win for the Curve with by allowing a lone single in the top of the final frame. Reliever Bryan Price (4-3) took the loss in his 2.1 innings, permitting three hits and three walks overall. Packer was dominant after receiving the promotion from Class A Lake County earlier in the day, limiting the powerful Altoona offense to just two runs (one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts in seven efficient innings pitched.
Kipnis starred offensively in the two games for the Aeros, finishing 4-for-7 with a triple, a run scored and two RBI. Henry extended his hitting streak to 10 games with two singles while the team finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the night’s second loss.
This four-game series continues Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at Blair County Ballpark between the Aeros and the Curve. Akron has yet to officially announce a starting pitcher to face off against Altoona’s Rudy Owens (8-6, 2.92 ERA).
Kinston Splits Double Dip With Myrtle Beach
The K-Tribe blanked Myrtle Beach 1-0 in game two of a double dip, splitting two games with the Pelicans Tuesday night in Kinston. The win was the third shutout in the last five games for the K-Tribe, as the Indians lead the Carolina League with eleven shutouts this season. Kinston fell in game one 12-2. The game was a continuation of Monday night's contest which was suspended in the top of the third inning.
Game two was a pitchers duel as Kinston’s Joey Mahalic and the Pelicans Paul Clemens where both sharp. Clemens baffled K-Tribe hitters, striking out nine while not walking a batter in five innings. Clemens allowed just one hit, a one-out double to Karexon Sanchez in the first inning. Clemens retired the final 14 batters he faced. Mahalic was just as good, striking out a season high eight through six innings. Mahalic (4-6) got the win, giving up just two singles while walking one batter.
Locked in a scoreless tie, Nate Recknagle led off the top of the sixth inning with a double. The hit came off of Pelicans reliever Chad Rodgers. Alex Castillo followed with a sacrifice bunt to get Recknagle to third base. Donnie Webb then struck out for the second out of the inning. Karexon Sanchez followed and rolled a grounder to shortstop Mycal Jones. Jones threw the routine grounder high to first base, allowing Sanchez to reach and Recknagle to score. Rodgers (1-6) took the loss, allowing the unearned run. Cory Burns pitched a perfect bottom of the seventh to clinch the win for Kinston. Burns gathered his Carolina League leading 20th save of the season, striking out two. Burns now has 32 saves between low and advanced A this season.
The Pelicans jumped ahead early against K-Tribe starter T.J. McFarland. Mycal Jones singled to start the game and Dan Nelson walked. Mike Jones then knocked an RBI single to left, and another run scored on the same play when Kinston left fielder Donnie Webb made an error trying to play the ball to make it 2-0.
Kinston answered in the bottom of the inning as Karexon Sanchez hit an infield single followed by an Abner Abreu base hit to right. The runners moved up on an error by the right fielder Luis Sumoza. Chun Chen hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Sanchez and pull the Indians to within 2-1.
In the top of the second, Myrtle Beach put two on with two out. Mycal Jones sent a high chopper to third, and Kyle Bellows threw home but Sumoza was ruled safe at home on a very close play to give the Pelicans a 3-1 edge. Rain showers entered the area in the top of the third inning. The Pelicans had two on with one out and Gerry Rodriguez at the plate when the game was stopped.
The game resumed on Tuesday night with Brian Grening on the mound for Kinston. There were two on and two out when he walked Luis Sumoza to load the bases. Samuel Sime then clubbed a grand slam to left field to make it 7-1.
The K-Tribe came back with a run in the bottom of the third when Karexon Sanchez walked and Abner Abreu doubled him home to cut the lead to 7-2. The Pelicans added a run on a sixth inning RBI single by Cory Harrilchak to make it 8-2.
Myrtle Beach piled it on in the ninth inning against Kinston reliever David Roberts. Jordan Kreke hit an RBI single and Gerry Rodriguez belted a three-run homer to extend the lead to 12-2.
Brett Oberholtzer (3-4) threw five innings for the win for Myrtle Beach. He gave up a run on three hits, walked one and struck out five. McFarland (10-3) took the loss for Kinston, conceding five runs, four earned, on six hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.
13 Lucky For Captains
Jason Smit drove in three runs and the Lake County put up10 runs over two innings as they rallied back to defeat the Dayton Dragons 13-7 Tuesday.
The Dragon put up three runs in the top of the first inning when Ryan Lamarre led of the ballgame with a solo home run off of Captains starter Vidal Nuno. Henry Rodriguez would single and score on a double by Mark Fleury with Fleury taking third on the throw to the plate. Cameron Satterwhite would hit a sacrifice fly to score Fleury and the Dragons led 3-0. The Captains got a run back in the bottom of the second inning when Jason Smit walked with the bases loaded and it was 3-1. The Dragons added a run in the top of the fifth inning when Rodriguez singled home Ryan LaMarre to make it 4-1.
The Captains put up four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning without an RBI when a run scored on a passed ball, a double play ball and two scored on an error and the Captains took a 5-4 lead. The lead was short lived as the Dragons came right back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning when a run scored on a throwing error and Kevyn Feiner hit a two run home run and the Dragons led 7-5. The Captains rallied back in the bottom of the inning when they scored six times on RBI’s from Argenis Martinez, Roberto Perez and two RBI’s from Jason Smit. They scored two other runs via an error and a wild pitch and led 11-7. It went 12-7 when Casey Frawley drove in Delvi Cid in the bottom of the seventh inning. Cid stole two bases to up his league leading total to 56. The Captains added a run in the bottom of the ninth inning as Roberto Perez crashed his fourth home run of the year.
Captains starter Vidal Nuno (5-4) got the win pitching six innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out four. Nick Sarianides followed Nuno and threw a scoreless inning allowing one hit and striking out. Jose Flores came on in the eighth inning and threw two scoreless innings allowing a hit and striking out four.
Dayton starter Tim Crabbe did not get a decision working four innings allowing four runs, three earned on four hits, walking seven while striking out three. Painesville product Jamie Walcsak (0-2) took the loss lasting 1.2 innings allowing seven runs, three earned on six hits, walking two and striking out one.
The Captains and Dragons play game two of the four game series on Wednesday at 7:00 PM with the Captains sending RHP Brett Brach (2-5, 3.22) to the mound to face the Dragons RHP Blair Carson (3-4, 3.81).
Scrappers fall to Muckdogs, 8-1
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers lost game two of a two-game series to the Batavia Muckdogs Tuesday at Dwyer Stadium. With the loss, the Scrappers have now lost three straight games.
Chris Corrigan recorded the win for the Muckdogs going five innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking three and striking out one. Despite getting the loss, Casey Gaynor pitched well in his second start of the season. Gaynor lasted 4.2 innings giving up two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out three.
The Scrappers will look to snap a three-game losing streak as they return home to Eastwood Field for a six-game home stand beginning with a three-game series against the Tri-City ValleyCats Wednesday night. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
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