Big first inning helps Columbus breeze to rout of Gwinnett in International League.
AAA Columbus Clippers
Clippers 8, Braves 2: Host Columbus scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning, defeating Gwinnett, Ga., in an International League game Saturday. The Clippers' Jordan Brown and Wes Hodges had two-run singles, Cord Phillips doubled home another run, and two more scored on a Michael Brantley double. Jeanmar Gomez (5-7) was the starter and winning pitcher. He pitched six innings and gave up two runs, both earned, on seven hits.
AA Akron Aeros
Mets 11, Aeros 6: Akron lost a slugfest at Canal Park, as starting pitchers for both the Aeros and Binghamton, N.Y., got roughed up in Eastern League play. Aeros starter Scott Barnes gave up eight hits and nine runs (five earned) in four innings. Binghamton starter Mark Cohoon gave up five earned runs on 11 hits in 5 innings. Binghamton connected for two home runs. Jerad Head of Akron was 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Advanced A Kinston Indians
Hillcats 5, Indians 3: Lynchburg, Va., scored four in the top of the fourth and won at Kinston, N.C., in Carolina League play. Abner Abreu went 3-for-4, including his second homer of the year for Kinston. He was 3-for-4.
Notes: Christopher Jones pitched three scoreless innings in relief for Kinston. His ERA is 0.91 in 29 innings.
A Lake County Captains
Captains 5, Whitecaps 0: Matt Packer (6-3) and Jose Flores combined to shut out host West Michigan in Midwest League play. Packer struck out nine and yielded five hits in eight innings. Flores gave up one hit in the ninth. Packers' ERA is now 1.88 and Flores' is 0.96. Jason Smit clubbed a home run in the fifth inning.
A Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Scrappers 12, Doubledays 1: Third baseman Giovanny Urshela drove home four runs, and visiting Mahoning Valley dominated Auburn, N.Y., in New York-Penn League action. Urshela slugged one of four doubles for Mahoning Valley. Starter Dew Owen pitched four scoreless innings for the Scrappers, Casey Gaynor (1-1) gave up five hits, but just one run, in three innings and James Ehlert finished up with two scoreless innings. Mahoning Valley broke the game open with five runs in the sixth. The Doubledays contributed to that rally with two passed balls, a wild pitch and a walk.
Independent Lake Erie Crushers
Cruisers 3, Crushers 1: Lake Erie managed only one hit and dropped the opener of a nine-game homestand in Avon, to Oakland County, Mich. For the third straight Frontier League game, the Crushers allowed the opposing team to score in the first when Oakland County's leadoff man, Zachary Pace walked, stole second, and scored on a one-out double. Wayne Bond beat out a groundball to short for the Crushers' only hit, in the third inning. Lake Erie scored its lone run on a walk, hit batter and sacrifice fly.