Lynchburg prevails, Akron slips late, Columbus remains great

Cleveland Guardians minor league recap for April 23, 2022

Columbus Clippers 4, Indianapolis Indians 3

Box Score · Clippers improve to 12-4

The tailwind is irresistible now.

Columbus continued its streak of sensational baseball with a 4-3 win over Indianapolis. Oscar Gonzalez smacked a home run and an RBI double, Gavin Collins homered, and Alex Call scampered home on a wild pitch.

Thomas Ponticelli allowed one run in three innings as something like a long opener. More on this later. Zach Draper, Nick Mikolajchak, Aaron Pinot, and Ian Gibaut divided up the rest by pitching slightly more than a frame each. Gibault allowed a hit and walk while striking out three to earn his third save.

Akron RubberDucks 1, Bowie Baysox 2

Box Score · RubberDucks fall to 5-8

The bottom of the ninth began with a 1-1 tie. Reliever Kevin Kelly hit Zach Watson. Then, he allowed a double to left field. Julian Escobedo made a throwing error allowing Watson to scoot all the way around to home and end the game.

It’s baseball. That’ll happen, and the minors is where it is supposed to. Escobedo also walked and doubled. The past two games represent something of a slump-buster for him and so I am sure the coaching staff made sure he remembers which play is the most important: the next one.

Xzavion Curry struck out eight in less than five, allowing a run on two walks and three hits. Kyle Marman and Tim Herrin pitched three combined scoreless while Kelly earned a loss without recording an out or earning a run.

If you aren’t done with pitcher wins yet — boy. I know he smoked a guy on accident but come on.

Lynchburg Hillcats 10, Carolina Mudcats 3

Box Score · Hillcats improve to 5-8

There are some euchre hands where the other guys call it, and then your partner looks at you like “I guess we’re scoring two.”

That’s kind of how this box score feels.

Everybody got a hit except for Yordys Valdez. He reached base on an error and scored. That just about sums it up.

Milan Tolentino scored thrice on three hits and a walk, Will Bartlett reached four times and scored twice while driving in two, and Richard Paz took point by driving in four on four hits.

Also, Cleveland might have realized that pitching roles are a construct.

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If you made it this far just go listen to the dang podcast as well. I realize it’s also two inches down from here but even I forget about it when I have to scroll past all the ads.