Not only Santana and Gimenez, but Wes Hodges, Brian Bixler and Jordan Brown are among other Clippers who are hitting the baseball with authority.
Chris Gimenez, here with the Indians last season, has been a productive hitter this spring at Columbus.FARM REPORT
AAA Columbus Clippers
Clippers 10, Bats 7: Regular catcher Carlos Santana (.316) was used at DH and Chris Gimenez (.295) was behind the plate. Both slugged solo home runs -- Santana's 11th and Gimenez's seventh – as the Clippers (35-20) closed a 7-1 homestand. 1B Wes Hodges (.294) drilled his 14th double, singled twice and had two runs and two RBI, and SS Brian Bixler (.285) doubled twice, singled and scored two runs. RH starter Carlos Carrasco (4-2, 4.68) got the win despite yielding five runs on eight hits in six innings, with five strikeouts.
Notes: RH reliever Joe Smith pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to get his second save. Smith is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 14 2/3 innings spanning 13 appearances since the Indians sent him to Columbus. He has struck out 11 while yielding 11 hits and six walks....CF Jose Constanza (.344) stole his ninth base in nine attempts....RH reliever Frank Herrmann, who got the day off, has pitched 28 scoreless innings since yielding one run in his first appearance of the season. Herrmann is 3-0 with two saves and an 0.31 ERA, fanning 22 while allowing 15 hits, no home runs and eight walks in 28 2/3 innings over 19 games.
AA Akron Aeros
Aeros 5, SeaWolves 1: Alex White, the Indians’ first pick in the 2009 draft, improved his record to 2-1 with an Eastern League victory over visiting Erie (Pa.). White struck out seven in 6.2 innings, giving up two hits and one earned run.
Notes: White, the Indians first pick in the 2009 draft, went into Wednesday night's game having made two starts at Akron, allowing nine hits and three walks while striking out four in 13 innings. Combined with his six starts at Advanced A Kinston, White was 2-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 44 innings, fanning 41 while allowing 32 hits and 19 walks....3B Jared Goedert took a 21-game hitting streak into the game. Among Eastern League leaders, he was second in batting (.342), third in slugging (.568), seventh in doubles (14), eighth in on-base percentage (.399), tied for 11th in RBI (32) and tied for 13th in homers (seven)....RH Paolo Espino (6-2, 3.45) is fourth in the league in wins, sixth in strikeouts (48) and 10th in fewest walks and hits allowed per inning (1.20)....The Aeros' team ERA of 4.89 was tied for last, but a solid improvement over the 5.66 team ERA in early May.
Advanced A Kinston Indians
Indians 2, Blue Rocks 0: A two-run home run by Jason Kipnis in the bottom of the first inning held up, as Kinston blanked Wilmington (Del.) in Kinston, N.C
Notes: CF Jordan Henry went into Wednesday night's game leading the Carolina League in walks (29) and on-base percentage (.480), third in batting (.353) and sixth in stolen bases (12 in 13 tries). Henry missed most of April with a finger injury and had played in just 32 games....2B Jason Kipnis has had the Indians' most productive overall season at the plate, going into Wednesday batting .299 with eight doubles, three triples, five home runs, 28 RBI and 28 runs....2B Karexon Sanchez (.269) was 6-for-12 in the last three games, with a double and homer....LH reliever Chris Jones was 1-0 with an 0.56 ERA and one save in six games spanning 16 innings. Counting his time at Lake County, James was 3-2 with a 1.89 ERA and two saves in 13 games (one start), pitching 38 innings with 34 strikeouts, and allowing 26 hits and six walks....Kinston's team ERA of 2.75 led the league, well ahead of second-place Frederick's 3.44.
A Lake County Captains
Captains 6, Snappers 1: Matt Packer (3-3) registered his first professional win as a starting pitcher and Greg Folgia hit his second bases-loaded triple of the year as Lake County defeated Beloit (Wis.) in Eastlake. The Captains have four bases-loaded triples this season.
Notes: Wednesday night's start was the third of the season for Packer, who has made 11 relief appearances. Overall, he had pitched 27 innings, striking out 24 while allowing 20 hits and three walks....RH reliever Preston Guilmet had allowed no runs in eight games, earning four saves while fanning 15 and walking none in 10 2/3 innings....3B Jeremie Tice (.272) was tied for second in the Midwest League in RBI (37) and LF Bo Greenwell was seventh (33); Greenwell was fifth in batting (.326) and catcher Chun Chen was seventh (.323); Greenwell was tied for fourth in runs (33) and 2B Casey Frawley (.264) was tied for eighth (32).
Independent Lake Erie Crushers
Rascals 2, Crushers 1: Crushers RHP Travis Risser (0-2) pitched five solid innings but was saddled with the loss against River City (Mo.) in Avon. Risser walked three and struck out five.
Notes: Crushers 3B Andrew Davis went into Wednesday night's game batting .286 (10-for-35) with three homers and 11 RBI.