Game Recaps 8/16: Kluber impresses in Clippers win

Corey Kluber (Photo: IPI)

Kluber, Clippers shut down Paw Sox

Corey Kluber struck out a season high 11 batters and didn't allow a hit in his 6.2 innings to lead the Clippers to a 5-2 victory over the Patwucket Red Sox.

Kluber (7-8) also walked five and was pulled from the game in the seventh after throwing 113 pitches. Chen-Chang Lee retired the final batter of the seventh but allowed the Paw Sox's first hit in the eighth - a single to Luis Exposito.

The Clippers jumped out to a 5-0 lead before Patwucket got back into it. In the first, Jerad Head delivered an RBI single for an early one run lead. One inning later, three consecutive Clippers singled to load the bases for Luis Valbuena. He promptly unloaded them with a grand slam over the right field wall.

Zach Putnam came on in the ninth and retired the first two Paw Sox hitters. He then loaded the bases and gave up a single to Exposito, which made it a three run game.

Josh Judy came in to face the tying run in Jose Iglesias, and forced him to ground out to end the game. It marks Judy's twentieth save of the season.

After the Clippers took the opening game of the series, the two teams will play three more. The first pitch for Wednesday's game is at 7:05 PM.

Drennen’s hit gives Aeros walkoff win

John Drennen broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 12th inning with a game-winning walk-off RBI single to give the Akron Aeros a 4-3 win in game one of a three-game series against the Harrisburg Senators Tuesday at Canal Park.

Left-handed pitcher Cory VanAllen allowed the Drennen double and suffered the loss for Harrisburg.

Right-handed pitcher Tyler Sturdevant recorded the win pitching two scoreless innings of relief and scattering one hit. Right-hander Steve Wright made the start for Akron and lasted 4.1 innings giving up three earned runs on four hits, walking three and striking out three.

The Aeros (64-58) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when John Drennen walked with the bases loaded.

Ben Copeland doubled home Jordan Henry in the bottom of the second inning to make it 2-0.

The Senators (68-54) cut the lead in half at 2-1 in the top of the third inning when Derek Norris hit a solo home run.

In the top of the fifth inning, Harrisburg took the lead. Josh Johnson opened the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a Wright wild pitch. He scored on an Erik Komatsu RBI double that tied the game 2-2. Later in the frame, Tyler Moore singled home Komatsu to give the Senators a 3-2 lead.

It remained 3-2 until the Aeros rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning. John Drennen led off with a single and, with one out, advanced to second on a Donnie Webb single. Kyle Bellows pinch hit for Cristo Arnal and singled home Drennen to tie the game 3-3 and force extra innings.

The game was tied until the 12th inning when Drennen singled home Copeland to give Akron the win.

The Aeros and Senators will continue their three-game series on Wednesday. Akron will give the ball to left-handed pitcher T.J. McFarland, who is 9-6 with a 3.75 ERA in 2011. He will face right-handed pitcher Tanner Roark, who is 7-8 with a 5.38 ERA this season. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Kinston loses 6-3 in extras

The Kinston Indians fell by a final score of 6-3 in 11 innings to the Potomac Nationals on Tuesday Night. The Nationals scored the go ahead run in the eleventh with two outs in the inning. The batter was Francisco Soriano and he lifted a high popup on the infield all four of the K-Tribe infielder’s were surrounding if but no one took charge, and the ball fell helplessly to the ground. Scoring on the play was Sandy Leon from second base. That made the score 4-3 and the P-Nats took advantage of a rattled Kyle Landis and put two more runs on the board in their half of the inning.

The scoring started in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jose Lozada and Eury Perez had back to back hits. Lozada scored on the Perez double. Later in the inning, Jeff Kobernus singled home Perez staking the P-Nats to a 2-0 lead.

The K-Tribe got a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Roberto Perez walked to lead off the frame. He later scored on the Jordan Casas base hit. After five innings Kinston halved the lead it was 2-1.

Eury Perez led off the seventh inning with a triple. Kobernus did it again. This time he laid down a perfect safety squeeze that pushed the P-Nats advantage back up to 2 runs. Potomac lead the game through seven innings 3-1.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the ninth inning. Tyler Cannon, Casey Frawley and Jeremie Tice got three straight singles to lead off the ninth. Cannon scored on the Tice pinch hit single. Roberto Perez knocked home the tying run on a fielder’s choice. The score was tied at 3 headed to extra innings.

Kinston had a good record in games that went extra time this season tallying a 7-3 mark in extra inning contests. This game however turned out on the short end for Kinston. The winning pitcher was Josh Smoker and his record improves to (5-2).Kyle Landis gets the tough luck loss for Kinston. Landis’ record falls to (8-1).

Kinston and Potomac will conclude their three game set Wednesday Night at Grainger Stadium. First Pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm.Thepitching match up for the rubber match will be Francisco Jimenez (3-2, 3.66) for Kinston and Evan Bronson (4-3, 5.28) for Potomac.

Note: Lake County and Mahoning Valley were both off on Tuesday.

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).

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