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| Ezequiel Carrera (photo: Tony Lastoria) |
The Clippers extended the win streak to ten, and stayed undefeated on their long road trip as they held on for a 6-5 victory over the Yankees in Scranton Wilkes-Barre.
After taking game 1 in an 8-1 victory cut short by rain last night, the Clippers were back at it with the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees for game two of a four game set in Scranton. Columbus got off to a fast start in the top of the first. Ezequiel Carrera started the game off with a double down the right field line. After Carrera advanced to third on a Jason Kipnis groundout, Clippers first baseman Shelley Duncan did his part to drive in Carrera for the first run of the ballgame with a bloop RBI single. Just like that, Columbus had a 1-0 lead.
There would be more offense for the Clippers in the top of the second. Jered Head led off the inning with a single to center field. That was followed with a Jared Goedert walk. After a Paul Phillips flyout to left, Ezequiel Carrera reached on an infield single to load the bases with one out. Kipnis took advantage of the situation, driving in another Clippers run. The RBI groundout by Kipnis doubled the Clippers advantage 2-0. But Columbus was not done offensively. The next batter, Shelley Duncan, who knocked in the first Columbus run in the first, added to his RBI total with a clutch two out hit. Duncan's two run single augmented the Clippers lead to 4-0.
The lead for Columbus would increase even more in the top of the 5th. Shelley Duncan and Nick Johnson both walked to begin the inning. Chad Huffman then singled to load the bases with nobody out. It set the stage for the next batter Luis Valbuena. He put a 2-2 pitch in play adding on to Clippers lead. So two runs came in on that play, making it 6-0 in favor of the boys from C-Bus.
The Yankees made a concerted effort to get back into the ball game in the bottom of the 6th. After singles by Austin Krum and Luis Nunez to begin the inning, Kevin Russo got Scranton Wilkes Barre on the board with an RBI single that made it 6-1. The next batter, Greg Golson, tripled to deep center field. Two runs came in and all of the sudden, the Yankees were only down by three. Fortunately, Corey Kluber retired the next batters he faced and got out of the inning with a 6-3 lead intact.
The run lead for Columbus would shrink in the bottom of the eighth. Like he did in the sixth inning, Greg Golson came through with an RBI triple that made it 6-4. With Golson sitting at third with one out, Jesus Montero was walked to set up a potential double play. The first pitch from Zach Putnam to the next batter, Jorge Vasquez, was a wild pitch that got by Clippers catcher Paul Phillips. It allowed Golson to score and now Columbus was clinging to a one run lead. Putnam was pulled from the game due to an undisclosed injury. Josh Judy came in to replace his injured teamate. Judy walked Vasquez, but he got Brandon Laird to fly out and struck out Jordan Parraz to get out the inning, preserving the slim Columbus lead in the process.
It was a much cleaner inning for Judy. He struck out the first two batters he saw in the bottom of the ninth and ended up securing the win and getting his 9th save of the year.
The Clippers and Yankees will resume action Saturday night when Columbus right-hander Jeanmar Gomez (6-1) faces off against Yankees starter Greg Smith (0-0) with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM.
Aeros fall late, 4-3
Righty Austin Adams gave up a game-winning RBI double to Jorge Padron in the top of the seventh inning as the Akron Aeros lost game one of a three-game series to the Portland Sea Dogs 4-3 Friday at Canal Park.
Adams suffered the loss for Akron tossing seven innings, giving up four earned runs on eight hits and striking out six while walking just one.
Seth Garrison came in from the bullpen for the Sea Dogs to record the win pitching 3.1 innings of relief, giving up one earned run on two hits, walking one and striking out one. Blake Maxwell pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.
The Sea Dogs (22-42) got on the board in the top of the first inning. With one out, Jon Hee doubled and Tony Thomas singled. Chih-Hsien Chiang followed with a single scoring Hee. Thomas came across to score when Chiang got in a run down to make it 2-0.
The Aeros (32-36) got a run back in the home half of the frame. With two outs and a runner on third, Chris Balcom-Miller uncorked a wild pitch to give the Aeros a run and make it 2-1.
Akron scored again in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Kyle Bellows walked and Juan Apodaca moved him to second on a single. Tim Fedroff followed with a double scoring Bellows and tying the game 2-2.
The Sea Dogs retook the lead in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Reynaldo Rodriguez doubled, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2.
Akron tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Jordan Henry RBI single.
The Sea Dogs answered again in the top of the sixth inning as Padron doubled home Chiang to give Portland the win.
The Aeros and Sea Dogs will continue their series Saturday. Akron will give the ball to left-handed pitcher T.J. McFarland, who is 2-4 with a 5.03 ERA in 2011. He will face right-hander Stolmy Pimentel, who is 0-8 with a 9.66 ERA this season. 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.
Kinston Falls 8-0, Myrtle Beach Clinches First Half
Lynchburg ended Kinston's first half playoff hopes with a 8-0 victory over the Indians Friday night in Virginia. The K-Tribe loss combined with a Myrtle Beach 6-5 win over Frederick, puts Kinston 2 ½ games back with two games to go in the first half. Myrtle Beach clinches the Southern Division in the first half, Frederick (who clinched on Monday) gets the first half playoff berth from the Northern Division.
Lynchburg got to Kinston starter Brett Brach in the bottom of the third inning when Kennan Wiley tripled then scored on an errant throw to the bag. Lynchburg extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth when Joey Terdoslavich and Joe Leonard began the inning with back-to-back doubles. Kinston trailed 2-0 through four innings. Brach (4-5) would last four innings, giving up seven hits and two earned runs. He walked one and struck out four in the loss.
Kinston reliever Kyle Landis was greeted rudely in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Andrelton Simmons led off with a triple and later scored on a Phil Gosselin sacrifice fly. Adam Milligan then followed with a solo home run to put the Hillcats up 4-0. It was the first runs Landis had given up in ten innings as a K-Triber so far this season. Lynchburg continued their hot hitting in the bottom of the sixth inning. With K-Tribe reliever Francisco Jimenez on the hill, Gosselin delivered a three-run home run to put the game away. Reliever Rob Bryson finished strong for Kinston, retiring all four batters he faces. Bryson struck out three.
Lynchburg starter Zeke Spruill was great for the Hillcats, carrying a no hitter into the fifth inning. Spruill (5-7) went eight innings, giving up just three hits. He walked one and struck out eight. Chase Burnette had two of the three Kinston hits on the night.
The final series of the first half continues this weekend in Lynchburg. Game three of the four takes place on Saturday night at 6:05 pm. T.J. House will get the start for Kinston. Kinston next returns home to Historic Grainger Stadium for a short three game series Sunday, June 26th through Tuesday, June 28th.
WhiteCaps Shutout Captains 2-0
Hernan Perez drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give West Michigan a 1-0 lead. The WhiteCaps went on to win 2-0, sending the Captains to their ninth straight loss.
the eighth inning, Perez was at it again, hitting a solo homerun to leftfield to give West Michigan a 2-0 lead.
WhiteCaps' starter Keven Eichhorn (5-3) picked up the win tossing 6.2 scoreless innings allowing just five hits, walking three and striking out five. Cole Cook (2-8) suffered the loss for the Captains tossing one his best games of the year. Cook threw seven strong innings allowing a run on five hits, walking one and striking out four. Bruce Rondon picked up his 11th save of the year pitching 1.2 innings going on to strike out four of five hitters faced.
Lake County and West Michigan continue their three game series on Saturday night from Fifth Third Ballpark at 7:00PM. The Captains will start All-Star RHP Mike Goodnight against LHP Kyle Ryan for the WhiteCaps. Catch all the action on AM1330 WELW or online at captainsbaseball.com.
Scrappers fall to Jammers on Opening Day
Jamestown starter Josh Hodges threw five innings of two-run ball and three relievers held Mahoning Valley's bats in check as the Scrappers lost to the Jammers, 9-3.
The Jammers scored two runs in the first inning and four runs in the third, giving Hodges all the support he needed. They tacked on a run in the fourth and two in the seventh on Brent Keys' home run down the right field line.
Mahoning Valley scored a run off Hodges in the third inning on Kevin Fontanez's sacrifice fly, scoring Aaron Siliga. The run was unearned. Jerrud Sabourin drove in Alex Lavisky with a two-out double in the fourth for the Scrappers' second run of the night.
Bryson Myles scored the third run of the game on an error by the Jammers' shortstop, Yefri Perez. Myles reached on a single, stole second base and moved into scoring position on a grounder by Jake Lowery.
Joseph Colon picks up the loss for Mahoning Valley, falling to 0-1 on the year.
The two teams will play game two of their three-game series at Eastwood Field on Saturday, June 18th at 7:05 pm.
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