Minor League Recap – Explosive Hillcats Offense Notches 12

Hillcats win 12-4 with xBH and timely stealing, the Clippers fight hard in loss to Omaha, Akron is blanked by Orioles affiliate, and the Captains are demolished by the Loons.

Columbus Clippers (17-23) – AAA

Box Score

COL 7 – OMA 9

The Clippers and the Storm Chasers went back and forth all game, battling until the final at bat. LHP Parker Messick had a strong start. He threw five complete innings, allowing only four hits and three walks. Messick gave up one run in the bottom of the second on back-to-back doubles, but struck out five. RHP Nic Enright gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in his inning of work. He struck out one. Despite the two runs, Enright still had a low 2.45 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched. RHP Andrew Walters only pitched 0.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned run. A throwing error by the catcher, Dom Nuñez, trying to stop a double steal allowed a runner to score after successfully stealing third. RHP Luis Frías finished the seventh inning and pitched the eighth. Frías was the only Clipper pitcher to go scoreless. He walked one and struck out one before retiring the side. For all of the pitchers up until the ninth inning, the Clippers offense kept them tied or ahead. Unfortunately, LHP Andrew Misiaszek wasn’t able to close out the game with a two run lead. Misiaszek blew his first save without recording an out. He walked the first two batters and gave up a RBI single. The Storm Chasers walked it off with a three-run home run to right.

The Clippers offense was productive when it mattered. They struck first in the top of the 2nd on a Kody Huff homer to right.

In the top of the seventh Lane Thomas, who is on a rehab assignment with Columbus, singled on a swing bunt and advanced to third after two groundouts. The pitcher balked, scoring Thomas. In the top of the eighth, Yordys Valdes drew a two out walk and stole second base. Petey Halpin nullified the stolen base with a two-run homer to right center.

In the top of the ninth, down by one, the Clippers pulled ahead. Dom Nuñez drew a lead off walk and advanced to second when a fielding error for Omaha allowed Kody Huff to reach first base. Christian Cairo came on to pinch run for Huff. The runners advanced to load the bases when Milan Tolentino singled on a ground ball. Kyle Datres hit a sac fly to score Nuñez tying the game. With Cairo on third, Tolentino stole second to put both base runners in scoring position. Petey Halpin hit a two-out single to right to score Cairo and Tolentino, putting the Clippers up by two runs before the side was retired.

For those who are wondering, Brayan Rocchio went 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout. Lane Thomas went 1-for-3 with a run and two strikeouts. Petey Halpin was the hero of the game, going 3-for-5 with a run, four RBIs, and a home run.

The Clippers continue their campaign against the Storm Chasers today at 8:05 PM EST in Omaha. Both pitchers are listed as TBD at the time of writing.

Akron RubberDucks (24-13) – AA

Box Score

AKR 0 – CHE 3

The RubberDucks fell to the Chesapeake Baysox with Travis Bazzana still not in the line up after leaving game two Wednesday night. RHP Austin Peterson earned the loss, but threw six innings without allowing a single earned run. In the bottom of the fifth, catcher Cooper Ingle committed a throwing error that allowed the runner to advance to third and the batter reach first with one out. Both runners scored after a two-out single was hit to right field. Peterson walked three, gave up three hits, and struck out five. He maintains a 1.40 ERA in 38.2 innings of work this season. A great pregame interview with Peterson can be watched on Twitter. RHP Zach Jacobs finished the game, pitching two complete innings. He gave up one earned one, one hit, walked two, and struck out three.

The RubberDucks offense struggled with only five hits and two walks the entire game. Justin Boyd was the only hitting to record multiple hits, two singles, with Joe Lampe, Alex Mooney, and Kyle Dernedde recording one hit each.

Joe Lampe did make a great diving catch in left field.

The RubberDucks face off again in Chesapeake against the Baysox with a 6:35 PM EDT start time. RHP Aaron Davenport will get the start for Akron. Davenport is 2-0 going into tonight’s game with a 2.34 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP in 34.2 innings pitched.

Lake County Captains (20-17) – High A

Box Score

LC 4 – GL 11

The Lake County Captains continue their battle against the Great Lake Loons. The Loons bested them yesterday with starting pitcher, Matt Wilkinson getting his fourth loss of the season. The lefty is currently at 0-4 on the season with a 5.28 ERA, 1.66 WHIP on 30.2 innings pitched. Tugboat only went 2.2 innings this start, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits and a walk. He only struck out one batter faced. The bullpen had a lot of work to do. RHP Alonzo Richardson threw 0.2 innings, allowing four runs himself. He gave up three hits and walked three. LHP Izaak Martinez pitched 2.2 strong innings, much needed by the Captains. He only walked one batter and struck out three without giving up a hit, let alone a run. RHP Robert Wegielnik finished the game for the Captains, also scoreless. Wegielnik gave up one hit and two walks, striking out two batters.

The Captains got a quick jump on the Loons starting pitcher. Christian Knapczyk hit a lead off single to left then stole second with one out. Three straight strikeouts prevent Knapczyk from scoring. In the top of the second, Esteban González drew a one-out walk followed by a single from Juan Benjamin. Maick Collado and Jonah Advincula drew back-to-back walks, scoring González and keeping the bases loaded. Back-to-back strikeouts followed, retiring the side. In the top of the seventh the Captains added two more runs. Juan Benjamin drew a one-out walk and Maick Collado singled to center. Knapczyk hit a single to right, scoring Benjamin. Jose Devers hit a double to left that score Advincula who reached on a forceout.

In the top of the ninth Lake County was only able to tack on one more run, unable to overcome the insurmountable seven run lead. Maick Collado hit a lead off double to left, followed by an Advincula walk. With one out, Jose Devers singled to load the bases. Alfonsin Rosario grounded into a force out that scored Collado. But the Captains fell short there.

The Captains face the Loons tonight with a 6:35 PM EDT start time. RHP Dylan DeLucia will get the start for the Captains. He has a 1-2 record with a 3.71 ERA, 1.16 WHIP in 26.2 innings pitched.

Lynchburg Hillcats (23-14) – Low A

Box Score

MB 4 – LYN 12

The Hillcats had a great night against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. RHP Braylon Doughty pitched four complete innings, allowing two earned runs with four hits, one walk, and striking out three in a no decision. RHP Eudry Alcantara earned the win, his second, pitching two complete innings of hitless, scoreless baseball. Alcantara walked two. RHP Logan McGuire threw 0.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on two hits and two walks, striking out one. RHP Sean Matson threw 2.1 scoreless innings, closing the game for the Hillcats. He gave up two hits and struck out four, maintaining his 1.64 ERA.

The Hillcats kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the second, quickly tying the game. Tommy Hawke and Welbyn Francisca hit back-to-back singles. With one out, Jose Pirela hit a single to right, scoring Hawke from second. Bennett Thompson hit into a scar fly to score Welbyn Francisca from third. In the bottom of the second, Robert Lopez drew a lead off walk and Jaikel Mijares singled to right. With runners on first and second, Tommy Hawke doubled to center and reached third on a throwing error by the center fielder. Lopez and Mijares scored, putting the Hillcats up by two.

With a runner on third and one out, Luis Merejo drew a walk and stole second for his third stolen base of the season. Bennet Thompson hit a two-out single to score Hawke, but the side was retired when Luis Merejo was tagged out at home.

In the bottom of the third Logun Clark drew a lead off hit-by-pitch. After a pitching change, Garrett Howe tripled to center, scoring Clark. Robert Lopez hit a RBI single, putting the Hillcats up 7-2 before recording the first out. Tommy Hawke continued his hot hitting night with a double to left. Welbyn Francisca singled to center with runners on third and second. Both runners scored and Francisca stole second to put himself in scoring positing. Merejo reached with the second hit-by-pitch of the inning and the two baserunners successfully completed a double steal. Bennett Thompson singled to score Francisca and poor Luis Merejo was tagged out at home, again, to retire the side.

Leading off in the bottom of the eighth, Welbyn Francisca and Luis Merejo hit back-to-back triples to tack on another run for the Hillcats. Bennet Thompson singled to center and, this time, Merejo safely scored for the Hillcats twelfth and final run of the game.

Left fielder Tommy Hawke went 3-for-5 with three runs and one RBI. Shortstop Welbyn Francisca went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs. DH Bennett Thompson went 4-for-4 with four RBIs. Rober Lopez went 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk, and one RBI.

The Hillcats and Pelicans will face off tonight at 6:30 PM EDT at the Bank of the James Stadium. LHP Rafe Schlesinger will get the start for Lynchburg. He is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 26.0 innings pitched.