Game Recaps 4/30: Columbus rolls to tenth in a row

Clippers blank Knights 6-0

With their clutch two-out hitting, the Clippers beat the Charlotte Knights, 6-0, to win their tenth game in a row.

Luis Valbuena got the bats started early for Columbus, with a solo shot in the first. The Clippers got a run in the third with two outs due to Charlotte shortstop Eduardo Escobar's second error in the game. Jason Kipnis drove home Chad Huffman and Travis Buck in the fifth with a two-out triple. The Clippers final run came in the sixth when Huffman walked with the bases loaded. The Knights walked in another run in the eighth.

Starter Joe Martinez got the win going five innings and striking out five. Carlton Smith came in for two innings of relief and struck out three. Eric Berger relieved him and struck out the side in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Paul Phillips went 3-5 on the game and scored two runs. Umpires overruled a home run for Phillips in the sixth inning and he was sent back to second.

The two teams continue their four game series Sunday at 2:15 P.M. David Huff will pitch against Jeffery Marquez.

Aeros Blanked by Moore, B-Mets

Brandon Moore stifled the Akron Aeros for seven innings as the Binghamton Mets won game two of a three-game series 4-0 Saturday at NYSEG Stadium.

Moore picked up the win for the B-Mets scattering two hits, striking out nine and walking none. Manny Alvarez pitched two innings of relief for Binghamton to record the save.

Right-hander Joe Gardner struggled in his first start since April 13. Gardner lasted just 2.2 innings and suffered the loss giving up one earned run on six hits, walking two and striking out two.

The lone run Gardner allowed came in the bottom of the second inning. The B-Mets opened the frame with an Eric Campbell leadoff single. Raul Reyes followed with a single that advanced him to third base. Allan Dykstra drove Campbell in with a sacrifice fly to right field that made it 1-0.

Binghamton (7-12) scored two more times off Aeros reliever Paolo Espino in the bottom of the sixth inning. Espino gave up three earned runs, but tossed five innings of relief striking out nine and walking none. Espino’s five innings out of the bullpen were the most by an Aeros reliever in a single game this season.

The B-Mets capped their scoring in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Dykstra solo home run as they went on to the win.

The Aeros (11-12) and B-Mets will play the rubber match of this three-game series Sunday afternoon. Right-handed pitcher Austin Adams will get the ball for Akron. Adams is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA this season and is 1-0 against Binghamton. He will face lefty Mark Cohoon, who is 1-1 with a 1.44 ERA in 2011. First pitch is at 1:05 p.m. The game can be heard on Fox Sports 1350 AM or online at sportsradio1350.com. Coverage begins at 12:50 p.m.

Murata's Stellar Outing Foiled by Lynchburg's Shutout

Toru Murata's stellar outing was foiled by strong Lynchburg pitching in a 4-0 win for the hometown Hillcats Saturday night. Lynchburg fired right back at Kinston after the K-Tribe shutout Lynchburg for a series opening win on Friday night.

Murata's third appearance of the season was his first Professional start in America, and it was a great one. He lasted four innings, the first three of which were perfect frames. Murata allowed just one hit over four innings and struck out seven batters without yielding a walk.

Murata's stellar outing was followed by the first appearance of Adam Miller since the spring of 2008.

Once a feared pitching prospect and first round pick, Miller needed a number of surgeries to repair an issue with the pulley system in his right middle finger. Miller's issues were considered as career-threatening as they were rare. The 2003 first round pick played for Kinston in 2004 and 2005. He had worked his way to AAA before his most recent injury forced a nearly three year absence from the game.

Miller struck out the first batter he faced to start the fifth inning. Joey Terdoslavich followed by Smacking a double and scoring on a home run by the next batter, Joe Leonard. Leonard's shot broke an 18 inning scoreless streak posted by the Hillcats offense, thanks in large part to Kinston's shutout of the Hillcats on Friday night. After a walk, single and an out, the fifth continued to unravel for the K-Tribe. New K-Triber Delvi Cid let a single to center field slip past him which gave Lynchburg an added insurance run.

Miller pitched one inning, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.

The K-Tribe's best chance to break the shutout came in the eighth. With two men on thanks to Lynchburg miscues in the field, Adam Abraham recorded the innings first out via the strikeout. Abner Abreu singled to load the bases But Kinston's following batters both popped out to leave three aboard. Kinston had a base runner on in every inning but one and left twelve on in the game.

Miller's(0-1, 27.00) first decision of the year comes as a loss while Lynchburg's starter Dimasther Delgado (1-3, 4.82)picks up his first win of the season.

Game three decides the current series and gets underway at 1:05 in Lynchburg at Calvin Falwell Field on Sunday. Sunday's matinee contest will feature Kinston's ace, Drew Pomeranz (0-0, 2.00) searching for his first win this season. Pomeranz will be opposed by Lynchburg righty Zeke Spruill (1-1, 1.70).

Captains Salvage Last Game of the Series 4-1

Brian Heere smacked a three run home run and J.D. Reichenbach pitched solid in relief to get the win as the Lake County Captains took the final game of the series from the South Bend Silver Hawks 4-1 on Saturday at Classic Park.

The Captains got to the Silver Hawks starter J.R. Bradley in the bottom of the first inning when Carlos Moncrief lead off the inning with a double. A ground out moved Moncrief to third base and he scored when Giovanny Urshela grounded out and the Captain lead 1-0. The Silver Hawks tied it at 1-1 in the top of the second inning when Yazy Arbelo hit his fourth home run of the year off of Captains starter Kyle Blair.

Heere hit his home run in the bottom of the six inning scoring Jason Smit and Anthony Gallas to give the Captains a 4-1 lead.

Blair did not get a decision pitching five innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out two. Reichenbach (2-1) replaced Blair in the top of the sixth inning and went three scoreless innings allowing a hit and striking out four. Clayton Ehlert pitched a scoreless ninth inning and picked up his sixth save of the season.

Bradley (0-4) took the loss working six innings allowing four runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out one. Kable Hogben worked two scoreless innings allowing two hits and striking out two.

The Captains travel to Lansing to begin a three game series against the Lugnuts on Sunday at 6:05 PM. The Captains will send RHP Cole Cook (0-2, 4.67) to the hill against RHP Misaul Diaz (0-1, 6.60). The game can be heard on AM 1330 WELW and on the internet at captainsbaseball.com.

The Captains return home on Wednesday for a three game series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Individual game tickets are on sale at the Classic Park box office, online at captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Full season tickets plans, 7-, 12-, 20-, and 35-game mini ticket plans for the 2011 season are on sale now at great prices complete with several exclusive benefits. Information can be found at the Captains website www.captainsbaseball.com.

The Lake County Captains are a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and play their home games at Classic Park in Eastlake, at the corners of State Route 91 and Vine Street. For more information on the Captains, please visit the team's official website at www.CaptainsBaseball.com.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

Posted in: Game Recaps,Jason Smit