One-Run Victories Give Columbus Clippers Series Split
The Columbus Clippers snapped an early season four-game losing skid with a 2-1 win over the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday night and outlasted the Indians 8-7 in 11 innings in the Sunday finale. The Clippers lost the first two games of the series with the Indians 1-5 and 2-3, but salvaged the series split with the two weekend wins.
The Clippers, who ended their home opening series with a pair of losses to Louisville, were held scoreless through the first eight innings by Wilfredo Boscan in the series opener. Boscan went six innings and gave up five hits with one walk with three strike outs.
Alen Hanson tripled and Gift Ngoepe and Dan Gamache each doubled to lead the Indians. Ngoepe was three for four in the game and Gamache had a pair of RBI.
Will Roberts (0-1) took the loss for Columbus.
In the second game of the series Indianapolis came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Clippers 3-2 in 11 innings.
Robbie Grossman scored both of the Clippers runs. Grossman put the Clippers up 1-0 in the top of the second inning, scoring from second base on Ronny Rodriguez single to right field. The right fielder added a second run in the top of the fourth inning on a Michael Choice double.
Indianapolis tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Josh Bell homerun with a man on.
Clippers pitching was very effective until the bottom of the 11th inning, when reliever Shawn Armstrong (0-1) walked three batters and gave up the game winning single to Danny Ortiz.
Game three saw the Clippers come back from a deficit and win a closely contested game, 2-1. Indianapolis scored its only run on a Danny Ortiz solo homer in the bottom of the second inning off Columbus starter Jarrett Grube.
Columbus’ Michael Choice delivered a run scoring double in the bottom of the fifth inning, knotting the game at 1-1. Jesus Aguilar belted his second home run of the season over the wall in left to give Columbus a 2-1 advantage in the top of the ninth inning.
Tyler Glasnow struck out nine Clippers in five innings of work. Austin Adams (1-0) held off the Indians in the bottom of the inning for the win.
“It was a good team win tonight, a 2-1 ball game and everybody contributed in some way,” stated Columbus manager Chris Tremie in his postgame interview with WMNI 920.
The series ending game went extra innings and was decide by one run for the third consecutive game; Columbus prevailed 8-7.
In most game with the Indians Tremie told WMNI 920 “It comes down to extra innings or right down to the wire almost every time. No matter the score its coming down to the last out of the game.”
Aguilar hit his third home run of the season for Columbus in the first inning. Indianapolis tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the inning on a Jason Rogers single.
Following three scoreless innings the teams traded the lead four times before heading to extra innings tied 6-6.
Columbus took a one run lead in the top of the tenth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Erik Gonzalez that scored Michael Martinez. Indianapolis again tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a Gamache single to left.
Rodriguez tripled home Giovanny Urshela in the top of the 11th for the game winner. Rodriguez told WMNI 920 that he was looking for a fastball over the middle of the plate and he made good contact on the pitch.
Jeff Johnson (1-0) was credited with the win and Nick Maronde (S, 1) got the save. Columbus pitchers combined for 12 strike outs in the game.
The Clippers head to Louisville for three games with the Bats.
By Mike Tanchevski