Columbus Clippers Sunk in Rochester
Coming into Rochester riding a four game win streak the Columbus Clippers were taken to task as they lost three of four games to fall a half-game behind the Indianapolis Indians in the International League West Division.
Following their most productive games of the season Columbus laid an egg in the first of four games against the Rochester Red Wings, scuffling to a 6-1 defeat. Columbus was only able to muster two hits in the loss, a Jesus Aguilar single and Destin Hood triple was all that Rochester starter Taylor Rogers (2-0) allowed in his eight innings of work. Rogers struck out four and walked four with one earned run.
Columbus starting pitcher Nick Maronde (0-3) lasted 5.1 innings in the loss, he allowed four runs on eight hits, with one walk and three strikeouts. All four runs came on the long ball, a pair of two-run home runs by second baseman Doug Bernier and first baseman Renaldo Rodriguez in the fifth inning took the starch out of the Clippers’ sails.
The Clippers actually took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning when Hood scored on Adam Moore’s sacrifice fly before the Red Wings got to Maronde.
Rochester added two more runs in the ninth off reliever Kyle Crockett who allowed a home run to Brock Peterson and three consecutive singles. In his last two innings of work Crockett has given up nine hits and seven runs.
On the strength of twelve hit performance, the Clippers jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held on for a 5-3 win that got them back on the winning track in game two at Rochester. The Columbus Clippers scored all five runs in the third and fourth innings. Nick Swisher, in his third rehab start for Columbus, doubled home Michael Martinez and Tyler Holt in the third inning.
Seven Clippers batted in the fourth and belted out two doubles and three singles as three runs crossed the plate. Giovanny Urshela and Adam Moore doubled, with Moore, Michael Martinez and Tyler Holt driving in runs.
Shaun Marcum, who ran his record to 3-0, gave up a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to Eddie Rosario and Danny Ortiz to make it a 5-2 game. Marcum pitched six innings, gave up two runs on six hits with two walks and three strike outs.
Clipper Giovanni Soto started the seventh inning and got two quick outs before giving up a single to Rosario; he was lifted for Ryan Webb. Webb threw a wild pitch and Moore gave up a passed ball allowing Rosario to score the Red Wings final run.
Rochester took the early lead in game three and scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to hang on for a 5-3 victory over the Clippers. Both starting pitchers, Red Wing Jason Wheeler and Clipper Toru Murata, were effective in their stints but suffered misfortune due to shoddy defense.
Doug Bernier singled to open the Rochester third and scored on Aaron Hicks’ triple. Hicks scored the second run of the inning on Rosario’s ground out. The Red Wings third run of the inning scored all the way from first base on a throwing error by Clipper shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Rochester errors in the top of the eighth inning allowed the Clippers to tie the game 3-3. With men on first and second Red Wings’ shortstop Doug Bernier booted a ground ball off the bat of Doug Lavinsky to load the bases.
Logan Darnell relieved Wheeler with one out in the inning and gave up an RBI single to Lindor before he walked Nick Swisher to score another run. Jesus Aguilar tied the game when he hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly off the third pitcher of the inning, A.J. Achter.
Jeff Manship came on in relief in the bottom of the eighth inning and loaded the bases after getting the first out. After striking out Jose Martinez for the second out of the inning, before second baseman James Beresford singled up the middle to score two runs.
Manship (0-2) took the loss and Achter (3-2) got the win.
The Red Wings put an exclamation point on the series finale banging out 17 hits in an 8-4 win in the fourth game of the series.
Jordan Cooper started for the Clippers and was knocked out after 3.2 innings. He gave up four runs on nine hits with one walk.
Kyle Crockett was ineffective in his third consecutive appearance allowing two runs on two hits with two walks in 2/3 of an inning. Crockett’s ERA has skyrocketed to 16.88 in his last 5.1 innings of work.
C.C. Lee was the third pitcher for the Clippers and he suffered the same fate as the previous two members of the staff. In 1.1 innings Lee gave up five hits and one walk while allowing two runs.
The Rochester pitching staff was much more effective, striking out 11 Clippers while allowing four runs on seven hits. The one negative was the six walks they issued. Mark Hamburger (1-0) was the winner and Cooper (0-1) took the loss.
Seven of Rochester’s nine starters had two or more hits; Eddie Rosario and Aaron Hicks were three-for-five.
Columbus continues the road trip in Syracuse for three games and Rochester hosts Norfolk for three games.
By Mike Tanchevski