Minor League Recap – Extra Inning Losses for RubberDucks and Captains

Recapping games from Friday, May 9th.

Columbus Clippers (15-19) – AAA

Box Score

COL 2 – IND 3

The Columbus Clippers fell to the Indianapolis Indians Friday night. RHP Vince Velasquez threw 4.0 complete innings of great baseball. Velasquez allowed five hits and walked a batter, but he did not give up a run and struck out six. Nic Enright continued his 6.0 inning scoreless streak, He pitched the fifth inning and didn’t allow a single runner to reach base. Enright has only pitched in five games this season as he comes back from the IL. The lefty Will Dion unfortunately earned his third loss of the season and his first blown save. Dion pitched 3.0 innings, giving up three earned runs in his first inning of work. Dion allowed four hits and a walk, striking out two batters.

The offense couldn’t string together hits, but got on base a fair amount with walks and hit-by-pitch. The Clippers drew five walks and notched five hits in the low scoring game. Christian Cairo went 1-for-5, C.J. Kayfus with 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI sac fly, Will Brennan went 1-for-4, Kody Huff went 1-for-2 with a walk and a home run, Yordys Valdes went 1-for-4, and Kyle Datres went 1-for-3 with a walk.

The Clippers play tonight at 6:35 PM EDT in Indianapolis. LHP Parker Messick will get the start for Columbus.

Akron RubberDucks (20-11) – AA

Box Score

SOM 7 – AKR 6

The RubberDucks had a back and forth battle with the Somerset Patriots, but fell in extras. RHP Tommy Mace threw six complete innings. He gave up two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out six. RHP Ross Carver threw two scoreless innings of relief, allowing only one hit and striking out three. RHP Magnus Ellerts pitched the ninth inning, but a throwing error by Ellerts accounted for an unearned run that put to Patriots up by one going into the bottom of the ninth. RHP Davis Sharpe pitched the tenth and eleventh inning, earning his third loss of the season. Between a balk and the ghost runner, Sharpe allowed four runs, two of which were earned. Sharpe gave up three hits and walked one batter, striking out four.

The RubberDucks offense went punch for punch against the Patriots. The Patriots scored in the top of the first, but Cooper Ingle tied the game with a homer to right.

In the top of the sixth, the Patriots added their second run onto the board. In the bottom of the seventh Justin Boyd hit a two out double and Travis Bazzana was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. A fielding error allowed Cooper Ingle to reach first and score Justin Boyd, evening the score again. In the top of the ninth, a throwing error put the Patriots up by one again. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Travis Bazzana launched one to right to tie the game again for the RubberDucks.

In extras the Patriots went up two runs before the side was retired. In the bottom of the tenth, A two out Joe Lampe single scored the ghost runner, Cooper Ingle to put the duckies within one. Dayan Frias followed up with a RBI double to keep Akron alive.

In the top of the eleventh, the Patriots scored two more runs and the RubberDucks were finally defeated. Cooper Ingle hit a two-out RBI single to score Jake Fox, but weren’t able to tack on another run to keep the game rolling.

The RubberDucks play the Patriots again tonight at Canal Park. RHP Austin Peterson gets the start for the RubberDucks with first pitch at 6:05 PM EDT.

Lake County Captains (16-15) – High A

Box Score

QC 2 – LC 1

The Captains also had an extra inning defeat Friday night. The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when the River Bandits struck first. The Captains responded in the ninth to tie the game and prevent the shut out, but the River Bandits emerged victorious in the tenth.

LHP Matt Wilkinson started for Lake County. He threw four innings of scoreless ball, giving up only two hits. He walked three, but struck out five. RHP Jay Driver and LHP Adam Tulloch both pitched one inning of relief. Driver allowed one hit, one run, and one walk. Tulloch walked two, but otherwise was unscathed. RHP Alonzo Richardson pitched two complete innings of scoreless work. The only two base runners were the result of the a hit and a walk. RHP Josh Harlow pitched the ninth and kept the Captains in the game. Harlow allowed only one base runner, a hit, and struck out one. RHP Jack Jasiak earned his second loss of the season. Pitching the tenth inning for the Captains, the ghost runner scored, accounting for the run that won the game for the River Bandits. Jasiak gave up one hit and struck out one.

It was a slow offense night for the Captains. The Captains only had six base runners until the ninth inning. In the bottom of the seventh Jonah Advincula and Johnny Tincher both drew walks, marking the first inning for the Captains where they had multiple base runners on. In the bottom of the ninth, Advincula drew another walk and scored on a long single from Johnny Tincher for the Captains only run.

The Captains play today in Classic Auto Group Park. RHP Dylan DeLucia gets the start for Lake County. First pitch is at 6:35 PM EDT.

Lynchburg Hillcats (18-13) – Low A

Box Score

LYN 4 – FBG 3

The Hillcats stopped the affiliate loss streak with a victory over the Fredericksburg Nationals. RHP Jogly Garcia earned his second win of the season. In six innings of work, Garcia allowed a hit and struck out eight. A fielding error by the shortstop allowed the lead off hitter of the fifth to reach and eventually score, accounting for Garcia’s sole run (unearned). RHP Jesus Luna, who was picked up from the Dodgers system on May 8th, pitched one inning of scoreless ball, striking out one. RHP Austin Aldeano gave up an unearned run when another fielding error allowed the lead off hitter to reach and ultimately scoring on a balk. Aldeano walked two and struck out one. RHP Eudry Alcantara earned his first save, giving up a run in the ninth inning on two hits.

In the top of the second Logun Clark hit a lead off single. Jeffrey Mercedes doubled to center, putting runners on second and third. Ryan Cesarini hit a one-out single, scoring Clark and Mercedes. In the top of the fourth, Logun Clark hit a lead off triple and scored on a one-out ground out, putting the Hillcats up 3-0. In the top of the sixth Luis Merejo singled to center, Bennett Thompson drew a walk. Merejo scored on Mercedes’ single to left for the final run of the game for the Hillcats.

Lynchburg plays today at 7:05 PM EDT in Fredericksburg. RHP Braylon Doughty will get the start for the Hillcats.