Columbus Clippers 11, Toledo Mud Hens 5 (box)
A back and forth game turned into a blowout in the late innings as the Clippers took this first of six on Tuesday night.
Starter Zach Logue spun a quick top of the first, and the Hens got Wenceel Perez, Eddys Leonard, and Nick Maton on base by walks to load them up. Justice Bigbie was hit by a pitch, making it 1-0 Hens, but a drive to center field from Ryan Kreidler was caught to turn away a potentially big rally.
Logue gave up that lead in the second as the Clippers scored two runs. They got another in the third, but the Hens tied it up in the bottom half. Colt Keith led off with a single, and four walks issued by Clippers pitching made it a 3-3 game.
Logue gave up the lead again in the fifth, allowing a run to make it 4-3. In the bottom half, Nick Maton singled and stole second base, scoring on a Nick Solak single to right to re-tie the game at 4-4.
At that point, Garrett Hill took over from Logue and got shelled as usual in this lost season for the right-hander. He gave up four runs, three earned. Braden Bristo took over in the eighth and he gave up two runs, while Sam Clay gave up a final run in the ninth. Maton walked and scored on a Solak double in the bottom half, but this was long over by then.
Solak: 2-3, 2 RBI, 2B, BB
Maton: 1-1, 3 R, 2B, 4 BB, SB
Keith: 1-4, R, BB, 2 K
Logue: 5.0 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: LHP Jack O’Loughlin (3-6, 4.75 ERA) takes on RHP Zach Plesac (5-4, 5.86 ERA) at 12:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
Richmond Flying Squirrels 4, Erie SeaWolves 3 (box)
Brant Hurter gave Erie a solid short outing on Tuesday, but the Squirrels did more damage against the opposing bullpen in this one.
Hurter spun four perfect frames with three strikeouts, but departed after 46 pitches. Blake Holub took over in the fifth and gave up a solo shot that opened the scoring. In the bottom half, Ben Malgeri led off with a single and scored on a Jake Holton triple. Daniel Cabrera struck out, and Holton was cut down coming home on contact as Eliezer Alfonzo, promoted from West Michigan earlier in the day, grounded to first.
Tim Naughton took over in the sixth, and he was rocked for three runs to make it 4-1 Richmond. Malgeri led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and later scored on a Cabrera ground out. In the eighth, Jace Jung made his presence felt with a deep opposite field home run, his 28th home run on the season.
Down a run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Jake Holton lined a single to right field. Gage Workman came in to pinch run, and Daniel Cabrera lined a single to center field. Workman tried to go first to third, but he was cut down on a good throw to end the game.
Malgeri: 2-4, 2 R, 2B
Holton: 2-4, RBI, 3B
Cabrera: 2-4, RBI, K
Hurter: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: LHP Lael Lockhart (5-2, 2.71 ERA) takes on LHP Nick Zwack (5-7, 6.46 ERA) at 6:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
If you missed the big news, Jackson Jobe has been promoted to Erie and will make his Double-A debut on Sunday.
Clearwater Threshers 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 0 (box)
Game 1 of the Florida State League playoffs did not go Lakeland’s way on Tuesday, as the bats just couldn’t get anything going.
Carlos Marcano got the start for Lakeland, but he ran into a lot of traffic in the second inning and surrendered three runs. Chris Williams Jr. took over to get out of the inning, but then gave up a run in the fourth.
Meanwhile, the offense just didn’t do much of anything. They had just three hits and three walks. After a strong second half for the offense, this was not the performance they needed at home in Game 1.
They’ll have Wednesday off to re-group.
Anderson: 1-2, 2 BB
Marcano (L, 0-1): 1.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: The two clubs will meet up for a must-win game for Lakeland on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET.