Game Recaps 7/10: Popham's strong outing leads K-Tribe

Marty Popham (Photo: IPI)

Kinston evens things with Frederick

Marty Popham carried the Indians to win number 50 Sunday night, throwing nearly eight innings in Kinston's 3-2 victory over the Keys.

Kinston outfielder Tyler Holt tied Popham to a first inning lead thanks to his leadoff blast off of Ryohei Tanaka to start the game. Adam Abraham scored after his fourth inning single to give the K-Tribe an insurance run before Abner Abreu stroked a sixth inning home run. Abreu's blast proved to be crucial for Kinston.

Popham carried a shutout in to the eighth, when Tyler Townsend broke up a streak of ten straight Keys retired with a leadoff home run. After working out of the seventh, Popham allowed the first two batters he saw in the eighth inning to reach on singles. He recorded back to back strikeouts before Bobby Stevens pulled the Keys to within one run with an rbi single to right field. Popham then departed, leaving two base runners on for Chris Jones.

Jones ended the inning with a strikeout of Townsend. With a 3-2 count, Jones snuck a pitch past the Orioles top prospect to end the inning. Townsend disagreed with the call and eventually was ejected for arguing. Rob Bryson retired the first two men in the ninth before Preston Guilmet entered and forced a game ending fly out for Guilmet's 23rd save.

Popham allowed two runs on seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out nine. Kinston's starter finished the game having recorded his longest outing and highest strikeout total of the season.

The Indians offense has now totaled seven home runs over the last nine games. Abner Abreu has paced the surge with four blasts over the span of five games.

Monday's rubber match starts at 4:00 p.m. with Clayton Cook taking the hill for the K-Tribe. Cook will be opposed by Nick Haughian. The K-Tribe rests on Tuesday before resuming the current road trip against Potomac Wednesday night.


Toledo beats Clippers 4-1

The Clippers entered the All Star break on a bad note as they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Mud Hens, their third straight loss to Toledo.

It would be Toledo getting on the board first. Will Ryhmes led off the bottom of the first with a double to right field. Toledo then proceeded to manufacture a run.Timo Perez moved Ryhmes to third on a sacrifice bunt. Ryhmes would later come into score on a Carlos Guillen RBI groundout. Toledo scratched across a run and just like that, they had a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Clippers found a way to tie the ballgame. Jason Donald would have a big say in that as he crushed a solo shot to left center field. We were back to square one as it became a 1-1 ballgame on Donald's 4th long ball of the season.

The tie would not last long. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Mud Hens set out to retake the lead. Carlos Guillen reached on a throwing error by Clippers third baseman Jared Goedert. Ryan Strieby then came up and doubled down the left field. Ben Guez would drive home Guillen with an RBI groundout, allowing the Mud Hens to get back the lead 3-2. But the Mud Hens were far from finished.The next batter, Jeff Salazar, stroked a double to right field to drive home Strieby to make it 4-2 in favor of Toledo. Argenis Diaz would then make it 5-2 thanks in part to his RBI single up the middle. In summation, the Mud Hens turned a tied ballgame into a 3 run cushion heading into the 5th.

The injury bug would come out to bite the Clippers in the 6th inning.Clippers shortstop Jason Donald left the game in the top of the sixth when he suffered a leg injury heading to second on a double. In the bottom half of the sixth, Clippers starting pitcher Scott Barnes suffered a leg injury of his own when one of his spikes on his cleats got stuck in the turf while he was trying to field a ball coming off of the mound. Nick Hagadone came in to relieve Barnes and was able to get out of a Toledo scoring threat.

The Clippers tried one last rally in the top of the ninth. Tim Fedroff reached on an error by Hens reliever Chance Ruffin to open the inning. Jared Goedert followed that up with a singlr to put runners on 1st and second with nobody out.Matt McBride came to the plate trying to keep the rally going. He hit a liner to left field that bounced in for hit, but Ben Guez threw to third to force out Fedroff at third.Donnie Webb would then strike out swinging and Ezequiel Carrera grounded out to first to end the ballgame.It led to the Clippers losing their third straight game to the Mud Hens, leaving a sour taste in their mouths as they head into the all-star break.

The Clippers will resume action on Thursday when they begin a four game series against the Indianapolis Indians at Huntington Park. David Huff (8-2) will start on the hill for Columbus. Indianapolis's starting pitcher is yet to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

Aeros allow runs late, lose 10-4

The Akron Aeros allowed three runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and went on to lose game three of a four-game series to the Erie SeaWolves 10-4 Sunday at Canal Park.

Right-handed pitcher Bryan Price suffered the loss for the Aeros pitching one and two thirds innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits, walking two and striking out none. Right-hander Paolo Espino made the start for Akron lasting four innings, giving up one earned run on three hits, walking two and striking out two.

Left-handed pitcher Ramon Garcia recorded the win for Erie tossing six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and striking out five while walking one.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning. The SeaWolves (43-46) took a 1-0 lead on a Justin Henry RBI single.

The Aeros (46-44) answered in the home half of the frame. With one out, Beau Mills and Michel Hernandez rapped back-to-back singles. With two outs, Raul Padron doubled two runs home to give the Aeros a 2-1 lead.

The SeaWolves retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Michael Bertram led off with a double and Rawley Bishop walked. Audy Ciriaco singled to load the bases. Henry followed with an RBI single scoring Bertram and tying the game 2-2. John Murrian brought home Bishop on a sacrifice fly to give the SeaWolves a 3-2 lead. Ciriaco came across to score on a Shawn Roof RBI ground out to make it 4-2.

Erie tacked on three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 7-2 lead.

Akron scored a run in the bottom of the frame on a Cristo Arnal RBI double to make it 7-3.

Bryan Pounds answered with a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to give the SeaWolves a 10-3 lead.

Akron scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, but drew no closer as Erie went on to the win.

The Aeros and SeaWolves will conclude this four-game series and the first half of the 2011 season Monday night. Akron will give the ball to right-handed pitcher Joe Gardner, who is 5-6 with a 4.06 ERA in 2011. He will face fellow right-hander Brooks Brown, who is 1-3 with a 6.98 ERA this season. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Captains Fall to Lansing 7-1

Lance Durham’s two run double in the second inning put Lansing in front 2-0 on Sunday night at Classic Park. The Lugnuts never looked back defeating Lake County 7-1, sending the Captains to their sixth straight loss.

Lake County had runners on first and third in the bottom of the second inning and Kevin Fontanez dribbled one down the third baseline scoring Jesus Aguilar making it 2-1.

Lugnuts’ Jake Marisnick singled in a run in the third inning, Oliver Dominguez doubled in a run in the fourth inning and KC Hobson soubled in another run in fifth inning, giving Lansing a 5-1 lead.

In the ninth inning, the Lugnuts added two more runs, an RBI single by Carlos Perez and Michael Crouse scored on a Joey Mahalic wild pitch to go up 7-1.

Egan Smith (4-3) worked five innings for the win, allowing a run on seven hits, walking one and striking out seven. Mike Rayl (5-3) allowed a season high five runs, on eight hits in five innings of work, striking out five in his third loss of the season.

Lake County and Lansing finish up their three game series from Classic Park on Monday night at 7:00PM. The Captains will send LHP JD Reichenbach (4-1) against RHP Casey Lawrence (6-8) for the Lugnuts.

Scrappers lose to Williamsport

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers fell on Sunday to Williamsport by a score of 6-2. Right-handed pitcher Robert Nixon took the loss going six innings and allowing four runs on nine hits, two walks, and had four strikeouts.

The Scrappers struggled at the plate scoring just two runs on six hits. Shortstop Tony Wolters went 2-for-4 and catcher Alex Lavisky went 2-for-3 with an RBI and walk.

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