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| Cord Phelps (Photo: Lianna Holub) |
Usually the Clippers make a lot of noise on offense, but they were silenced in Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs as Columbus dropped a 4-1 decision. Eddie Bonine picked up the win for the Iron Pigs while Clippers lefthander David Huff dropped to 3-1 on the year. Mike Zagurski got the save for Lehigh Valley.
Iron Pigs centerfield Rich Thompson led off the game with a single. Kevin Frandsen followed with a single to right centerfield. Clippers starter David Huff was then able to get Dominic Brown to ground into a double play.
Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley grabbed a 1-0 lead when Iron Pigs third baseman Ronnie Belliard knocked in Thompson with an RBI flair into left centerfield. After a walk to Delwyn Young, former Clipper Josh Barfield hit a ground rule double that brought in another run in Belliard to increase the Lehigh Valley lead to 2-0. Huff would strike out right fielder Brandon Moss to end the inning.
In the top of the 2nd inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Eric Kratz led off the inning with a solo home run to deep left centerfield to enlarge the Pigs lead to 3-0. Frandsen then smoked a two out triple off the left centerfield wall. Fortunately for the Clippers, Domonic Brown struck out looking to end the inning.
The Clippers would get down to business offensively in the bottom of the second. Chad Huffman led the inning off with an infield single. While Travis Buck was batting, Huffman was caught trying to steal second. Buck would later single up the middle. That was followed up with a Cord Phelps single to right field. Following a Luis Valbuena fly-out to right field, Paul Phillips hit a bloop base hit into right center field which scored Buck to make it 3-1. Looking for more two out magic, Clippers left fielder Josh Rodriguez could not deliver as he flew out to right field to end the inning.
The Iron Pigs wanted to get that run back and were successful in doing so. Belliard led off the top of third with a single up the middle. Following a Delwyn Young pop out to second, Josh Barfield singled to right field to put runners on 1st and second with only one out. Brandon Moss then came to the plate and delivered a RBI single to drive in Belliard and make it a 4-0 Iron Pig advantage. The Clippers were able to get out the inning with a 6-4-3 double play, but were again staring at a three run deficit.
In the top of the fifth, more runs would come across the plate for the Iron Pigs. Domonic Brown and Belliard led off the inning with singles. Huff was then able to get Delwyn Young to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. After that, the Clippers lefthander struck out Josh Barfield to retire the side.
The Clipper were not able to mount a comeback as Columbus only had two base runners and no hits the final three innings.
Game 1 was a relatively low scoring affair. Game 2 was anything but low scoring. The Clippers were able to earn a split in a Mother's Day doubleheader as they defeated the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 11-6.
In the top of the first, the Iron Pigs were looking to jump out to an early lead just like they did in the first game. The Iron Pigs had runners on second and third with two outs, but Clippers lefthander Scott Barnes got Delwyn Young to strike out swinging to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the first, the Clippers got off to fast start of their own. Ezequiel Carrera led the inning off with a walk. After Carrera stole second, the next batter, Cord Phelps smoked a double down the right field line that knocked in Carrera for an early 1-0 Columbus lead. After Lonnie Chisenhall reached on a fielder's choice, Chad Huffman walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Travis Buck then walked to load the bases. Unfortunately for Columbus, Jason Kipnis grounded into an inning ending double play with only one run to show for that frame.
The second inning turned out to be a power-filled frame for the Clippers. Jered Head came to bat in the top of the second to lead off the inning. Head proceeded to smack a solo home run that hit off the Columbus Dispatch scoreboard in right center field. After a Wes Hodges single, Luke Carlin hammered a 1-1 pitch over the right centerfield wall to extend the Clippers lead to 4-0 over Lehigh Valley. With still nobody out in the inning, Carrera singled up the middle. After Carrera stole second, Cord Phelps struck out swinging for the first out of the inning. Chisenhall then reached safely on a groundball that Iron Pigs second baseman Josh Barfield was not able to throw cleanly to 1st. Carrera, showing great base running hustle as he came all the way around from second to score on the play to augment the Clippers lead to 5-0. Chad Huffman struck out swinging and Travis Buck grounded to second to end the inning, but four runs had crossed the plate for Columbus.
The third inning was filled with more fireworks of the offensive variety. Wes Hodges deposited a ball in the left field bleachers for a three run homer. Cord Phelps then hit a long ball of his own when he hit a two run shot to right field with one out. At the end of three, the Clippers had a commanding 10-0 lead.
After Lehigh Valley scored two in the top of the fourth, more runs came in for Columbus in the bottom half of the frame. Buck led the inning off with a walk. Kipnis then followed with a single. After Head struck out swinging, A Hodges single to right field brought in a run as Buck came around to score to make it 11-2 Clippers.
Power would be a big theme as runs in bunches came across the plate for the Iron Pigs in the top of the 5th. Kevin Frandsen hit a two run shot to make it 11-4 Clippers. That was followed with a Domonic Brown solo shot to left centerfield to draw the Iron Pigs within six.
Picking up where they left off in the top of the fifth, the Iron Pigs got another run via the long ball. Jeff Larish led the inning off with a solo shot that landed in the left field bleachers, cutting the Clippers lead to 11-6.
Continuing the offensive onslaught, Columbus got another run in when Jason Kipnis knocked in Huffman with an RBI single to increase the Columbus lead to 12-6.
At the end of the day, Corey Barns (2-1) got the win for Columbus while Brian Bass (1-2) was tagged with loss. The Clippers will be back in action on Monday as they open a four game series against the Charlotte Knights. Zach McAllister will get the start for Columbus. He will oppose Jeff Marquez. First pitch is 6:35 pm.
Aeros Win Series Finale Against Trenton
The Akron Aeros salvaged the final game of a three-game series with the Trenton Thunder winning 5-4 Sunday at Canal Park to snap their three-game losing streak.
Right-handed pitcher Austin Adams got the win for Akron pitching six innings, allowing three runs (one earned), walking two and striking out three. Cory Burns gave up a run in the ninth, but shut the door to earn the save striking out one while walking none.
Left-hander Kei Igawa was saddled with the loss lasting four innings, giving up five earned runs on 10 hits, walking two and striking out one.
The Aeros (14-16) scored in the bottom of the first inning off Igawa. Jordan Henry led off with a walk and Tim Fedroff advanced him to second with a single. Juan Diaz moved the runners to second and third on a single of his own. Chun Chen followed with a two-RBI double that scored Henry and Fedroff and advanced Diaz to third. With one out, Matt McBride drove in Diaz on an RBI groundout that made it 3-0 Akron.
Akron continued their scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Kyle Bellows singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a Bradley Suttle throwing error. Cristo Arnal moved Bellows to third with a sacrifice bunt and Henry scored him with an RBI triple. Fedroff followed with an RBI single that made it 5-0.
The Thunder (15-15) rallied for two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and one in the ninth, but the Aeros held on to win the finale.
The Aeros will head to Erie to begin a three-game series with the SeaWolves Monday. Akron will give the ball to lefty T.J. McFarland. McFarland is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 2011. He will face Erie right-hander Jacob Turner, who is 0-1 with a 3.13 ERA this season. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
Kinston's Win Streak Snapped in Extra Innings
Potomac snapped Kinston’s season high win streak with a 2-1 win in eleven innings Sunday afternoon at Historic Grainger Stadium.
With K-Tribe reliever Jose Flores pitching in top of the 11th inning, Cutter Dykstra started the frame with a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Jeff Kobernus pushed Dykstra to second. Destin Hood hit a ball to right field that was dropped when Kinston’s Jason Smit lost the ball in the sun. Smit was charged with an error and Dykstra reached third base. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Steven Souza hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Dykstra. The run was unearned, but Flores (0-3) was charged with the loss. He did not give up a hit in 1 2/3 of work, walking two and striking out one.
Potomac got to Kinston starter Giovanni Soto in the top of the first inning. With two-outs and nobody on, Destin Hood singled, then stole second base. Hood then scored on an RBI single by Justin Bloxom. Soto would allow just two more hits after the first. He went six innings, giving up four hits and one run, walking one and striking out five. Adam Miller threw a solid inning for the K-Tribe, not allowing a hit while walking and striking out one. Tyler Sturdevant was great from the K-Tribe pen, giving up just one hit in two innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Potomac's starter Danny Rosenbaum was very good on the hill for the Nationals. Kinston finally got to him in the top of the sixth inning when Tyler Holt led off with a single. After Bo Greenwell walked, Jason Smit hit a two-out single to drive him home. Rosenbaum went seven innings, giving up just six hits while striking out seven. Kinston would have chances in both the eighth and tenth innings, getting the winning run to third base with only one out, but the Potomac bullpen kept the score tied at one. Marcos Frias picked up the win for Potomac, Pat Lehman got the save.
The K-Tribe will enjoy a scheduled off-day on Monday before heading to Myrtle Beach on Tuesday for a three game series with the Pelicans.
Big Inning Costs Captains
The Lansing Lugnuts used a huge second inning to build an early lead and made it hold up as they defeated the Lake County Captains 9-6 on Sunday afternoon.
The Lugnuts took a 7-0 in the bottom of the second inning against Captains starter Mike Goodnight. The Lugnuts collected four hits but were aided by three Captains errors in sending eleven men to the plate.
The Captains rallied back in the top of the third inning when with two outs, Tyler cannon singled. Jesus Aguilar would reach on an error. Alex Monsalve would double home Cannon and Anthony Gallas singled home Aguilar and Monsalve and it was 7-3. The Captains tacked on a run in the top of the fourth inning when Carlos Moncrief singled home Nick Bartolone to the cut the Lansing lead to 7-4. It went to 7-5 in the top of the eighth inning when Moncrief singled home Argenis martinez.
The Lugnuts got two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when Michael Crouse hit a two run home run, his fifth dinger of the year and it was 9-5. The Captains added a run in the top of the ninth inning when Martinez doubled home Gallas to end the scoring at 9-6.
Goodnight (2-2) took the loss working 1.2 innings and allowing seven runs, three earned on five hits, walking one and striking out one. Jordan Cooper had a solid outing replacing Goodnight and working 3.1 scoreless innings allowing a hit while striking gout two. Nick Sarianides followed Cooper and went three scoreless innings allowing a hit, walking in and striking out one. Clayton Ehlert pitched the eighth inning and allowed two runs.
Lugnuts Starter Egan Smith did not factor in the decision either working three innings allowing three unearned runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four. Alex Pepe (2-1) came on in the fourth inning and threw two innings allowing one run on two hits, walking three and striking out three to get the win.
The Captains and Lugnuts conclude their three game series on Monday at 7:05 PM as the Captains will send LHP Mike Rayl (3-0, 2.08) to the bump against RHP Daniel Webb (2-1, 5.76).
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