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| Brach with Lake County (Lianna Holub) |
Kinston got another great pitching performance from Brett Brach and the bullpen, beating Potomac 3-1 Thursday night at Historic Grainger Stadium.
Brach was fantastic in the start for Kinston, giving up just two hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings. Brach gave up an infield hit to the first batter of the game and did not give up another until Justin Bloxom hit a one-out double in the top of the seventh inning. During the stretch, Brach (3-1, 1.25) retired 12 straight Potomac batters before a fifth inning walk. He walked three and struck out five in the win.
The K-Tribe got to Potomac starter Paul Demny the bottom of the third inning. Justin Toole led off the frame with a bunt that third baseman Cutter Dykstra fielded, but threw wide of first base. Toole was credited with a single and made it to second on the Dykstra error. Roberto Perez than singled, moving Toole to third base. Dan DeGeorge delivered a sacrifice fly to drive in Toole. Tyler Holt walked. After a wild pitch put runners at second and third, Adam Abraham delivered a single to left field. Perez scored easily, but Holt was out after a collision at home plate. Kinston left the third inning with a 2-0 lead.
The lead would stick until the seventh, when Brach left the game with two-on and one-out. Chris Jones was called from the pen, but Potomac managed a Dykstra bloop single to cut the lead in half. It would be the only hit that Jones would give up in his 1 2/3 innings of work. He was credited with his second hold of the season, walking one and striking out one.
Kinston got the run back in the bottom of the seventh, when Toole led off with a double and scored on a Casey Frawley sacrifice fly. Toole went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and is now hitting .301. DeGeorge had a sacrifice bunt and an RBI on a sac fly. Preston Guilmet would close things down with his fourth save of the season, striking out two in the top of the ninth. Guilmet has not given up a run in nine appearances (10 1/3 innings) this season.
The K-Tribe homestand continues Friday night, as the team will be wearing special jerseys promoting prostate cancer awareness. The game worn and signed jerseys will be available to buy through a silent auction during the game. All proceeds will benefit cancer research. Cleveland first round draft pick Drew Pomeranz will get the start for Kinston, game time 6:30 pm.
Clippers streak halted in 10-3 loss to Lehigh Valley
There is a saying that all good things must come to an end. That was the story as the Clippers dropped a home contest to Lehigh Valley 10-3, snapping a 13 game winning streak for the Clippers.
Columbus starter Corey Kluber did not get off to the swiftest of starts. The Iron Pigs quickly got on the board in 1st inning when Dominic Brown knocked in Rich Thompson with to give Lehigh Valley an early 1-0 lead. After Brown stole second, the next batter, Ronnie Belliard, singled to bring home Brown. On the play, Belliard was able to advance all the way to third after an errant throw from Clippers first baseman Chad Huffman. Huffman was trying to throw to second when Belliard tried to advance to second after the throw back into the infield, but his throw ended up in left field. Belliard would then be the third Iron Pig run of the inning when he came in on a Delwyn Young RBI groundout to first base. Kluber was able to strike out Iron Pigs left fielder Brandon Moss to end the inning, but the damage was done as Lehigh Valley staked itself to an early 3-0 lead.
The Iron Pigs were looking for more in the top of the second. Lehigh Valley had runners on first and third with two outs. Dominic Brown the top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system, hit a bullet to the right side of the infield, but Clipper second baseman Jason Kipnis made a diving stop and tremendous throw to get Brown at first to end the inning.
The bats would come alive for Columbus in the bottom of the third. After Clippers catcher Luke Carlin was hit by a pitch, Luis Valbuena lined a hit down the right field line that he turned into an RBI triple. Soon after that, Valbuena came in to score on an Ezequiel Carrera RBI groundout to first to make it 3-2 in favor of the Iron Pigs after three innings.
The next inning the Clippers were looking to some more damage on offense. Lonnie Chisenhall led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk. Chad Huffman followed with single up the middle. The next batter, Travis Buck, grounded into a double play. With a runner on third with two out, Jason Kipnis struck out to end the Clippers threat.
In the top of the fifth, Lehigh Valley again threatened on offense. After Kevin Frandsen single and Dominic Brown was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, Kluber got Ronnie Belliard to pop out in foul ground and Delwyn Young to fly out to center field. Jeff Larish walked to load the bases and that brought Brandon Moss to the plate. Moss went on to deposit a 1-2 pitch from Kluber over the right field wall for a grand slam to give Lehigh Valley a commanding 7-2 lead. Kluber would be pulled after the inning. He pitched five innings, giving up seven runs, six earned on six hits while striking out three and walking four.
In the bottom of the 5th, Cord Phelps scored on a Luis Valbuena RBI double to make it 7-3 in favor of Lehigh Valley. In the bottom of the 7th, the Clippers did not take advantage of a great offensive opportunity. Travis Buck led off the inning with a walk. The next batter, Jason Kipnis, singled up the middle. After strikeouts by Cord Phelps and Luke Carlin, Luis Valbuena struck out with runners on second and third to end the Clippers threat. The eighth inning proved to be another opportunity for a Clippers rally. Carrera and Donald walked to start the inning. Lonnie Chisenhall then crushed a base hit that went off the centerfield wall for a long single. But Huffman, Buck, and Kipnis all struck out to end that scoring chance.
Kluber was hit with the loss. His record drops to 0-3. Iron Pig right hander Drew Carpenter (2-0) got the win for Lehigh Valley. The Clippers hook up with the Iron Pigs tomorrow night. Nate Bump will go to the hill for Lehigh Valley. He will oppose Clippers right-hander Joe Martinez. First pitch is at 7:05 pm.
Aeros Fall to Curve in Rubber Match
The Akron Aeros dropped the rubber match of a three-game series to the Altoona Curve 4-3 Thursday at Blair County Ballpark.
Left-handed pitcher Matt Packer suffered the loss for the Aeros tossing 6.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, walking two and striking out five.
Aaron Pribanic got the win for the Curve pitching five innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits, striking out three and walking none. Noah Krol earned the save pitching a scoreless top of the ninth inning.
The Curve (13-12) scored first in the bottom of the second inning off Packer. Jordy Mercer led off the frame with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a Tony Sanchez groundout. With one out and Shelby Ford at the plate, Packer uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Mercer to score to give the Curve a 1-0 lead.
The Aeros (13-14) rallied for two in the top of the fourth inning. Chun Chen was hit by a pitch to start the frame. After a John Drennen lineout, Matt McBride connected on a Pribanic pitch hitting a two-run home run to left field. It was McBride’s third home run of the season and second in as many days.
The Aeros lead was short lived as the Curve answered in the bottom of the fifth inning. Eric Fryer began the inning with a walk. With one out, Jose Hernandez tripled him home to tie the game. Brock Holt drove in Hernandez on an RBI groundout to give the Curve a 3-2 lead.
Altoona scored again in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it 4-2.
Akron rallied for a run in the top of the seventh inning on a Tim Fedroff RBI double, but that was as close they would get as the Curve won the series.
The Aeros will begin a three-game homestand with the Trenton Thunder Friday night at Canal Park. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard on Fox Sports 1350 AM or online at sportsradio1350.com. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m.
Hot Rods Drive Off With 9-8 Over Captains
Phil Wunderlich's solo homerun in the top of the ninth inning lifted the Hot Rods past the Captains 9-8 on Thursday night. Cleveland native Doug Dietrich drove in five runs for Bowling Green as they rallied from six down for the win.
The Hot Rods manufactured a run in the first inning with registering a hit. Kyle Blair hit the leadoff hitter Cody Rogers who then stole second. Robby Price flew out to deep center to move Rogers to third. Derek Dietrich hit a sacrifice fly to left to score the run to make it 1-0 Bowling Green.
The Captains tattooed Enny Romero in the second inning scoring seven runs on five hits with the help of two Hot Rod errors. With runners on first and third and two out Dwight Childs in his first start of the season singled up the middle to tie the game at one. Tyler Cannon drew a bases loaded walk to give Lake County a 2-1 lead. Giovanny Urshela singled to right scoring a pair of runs. Jesus Aguilar smoked his seventh homerun of the season to leftfield; his three run bomb made it 7-1.
Blair held the Hot Rods hitless until the sixth inning. Price lead the inning with a walk. Dietrich broke up the no-hitter with a single to right. Phil Wunderlich singled to right to load the bases. Price scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-2. Nick Schwaner doubled in a pair of runs as Bowling Green trailed 7-4.
The Hot Rods loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning and Dietrich crushed a grand slam homerun to right giving Bowling Green their first lead of the night at 8-7.
Giovanny Urshela tied things right up at 8-8, in the bottom half of the seventh inning, with his third homerun of the season.
Austin Hubbard (3-0) picked up the win for the Hot Rods tossing two innings allowing a run on two hits, walking two and striking out one. Chris Rearick earned his sixth save of the season working the ninth. Nick Sarianides (2-1) took the loss for the Captains allowing a run on just one hit while striking out five.
Lake County and Bowling Green wrap up the series Friday night at Classic Park at 7:00PM. RHP Cole Cook (1-2) get the start for the Captains and is matched up with RHP Victor Mateo (2-2) for the Hot Rods. Catch all the action on AM1330 WELW or online at captainsbaseball.com.
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