Guardians Baseball Insider

image: Jay Gehres

Columbus Clippers 10, Toledo Mud Hens 6

Friday night’s game was full of surprises at Huntington Park as the Columbus Clippers improved (31-21) after their second straight win against the Toledo Mud Hens (25-24) 10-6. The Clippers took the field in a new jersey in honor of Superhero night, wearing Dr. Strange themed jerseys. LHP Tanner Tully was sent to the mound for the Clippers and Toledo countered with RHP Garrett Hill. 

Tossed Overboard

Still fired up from the previous game, which was the second game this season in which the opposing team scored in double digits, the team managers of both teams got ejected before the end of the second inning. A grand slam by David Fry was overturned and Fry settled for a three-run double. That set Clippers Manager Andy Tracy ablaze and he was promptly thrown out by home plate umpire Randy Rosenburg. Fry’s double allowed Alex Call, Will Brennen, and Bobby Bradley to score, putting Columbus in the lead 3-1. 

It didn’t take long after for Mud Hens manager Lloyd McClendon to get ejected. Lead off man Will Benson was hit by a pitch from Garrett Hill in the top of the second inning. Toledo manager Lloyd McClendon came out to argue that Benson had came around with his swing and therefore should have been a strike, McClendon was then ejected, making it a rare case of both teams’ managers being ejected in the same game. 

Bradley Saves the Bag

First baseman Bobby Bradley came in clutch with three sacrifice flies in the game. The first on tying the score at six apiece, with his hit to center field allowing Alex Call to score. Bradley hit the tie-breaker in the bottom of the sixth inning, with yet another knocker to center field allowing Jose Fermin to score a run, and advance Benson to third, putting the Clippers in the lead 7-6. 

With the Clippers surrounding the hill, Bradley hit his third sacrifice fly of the night to right field, extending the Clippers’ lead to 10-6. 

Clean-up Man Call

Alex Call has been successful in moving into the cleanup spot duties since Oscar Gonzalez moved up, leaving big shoes to fill for Call. Call went 3-4 with one double, three RBI, two walks and a stolen base.

In the bottom of the fifth, Call doubled on a line drive to center field, driving in Brennan to cut the deficit to 6-5. 

Call hit another double in the bottom of the eighth inning after Benson’s solo home run put Columbus up 8-6. Call then hit a line drive to left center field. scoring Jose Fermin, extending Columbus’ lead 9-6.  

The Clippers success wouldn’t have been possible without RHP Aaron Pinto, who closed out the game on the mound for Columbus pitching the last two innings. He only allowed two hits, no runs, and three strikeouts. 

Over the past two games, the Clippers have scored 25 runs. The Clippers still hold the second spot in the International League West standings. Columbus will continue to finish out the series over the weekend, with their next game on Saturday, first pitch set for 7:05.  

Velocity 

LHP Tanner Tully:

1st Inning : 90, 83, 91, 90, 90, 83, 80, 91, 82, 82, 90, 90, 90, 82 

2nd Inning: 90, 80, 80, 81, 80, 82, 82, 91, 84, 89

3rd Inning: 89, 89, 82, 82 , 82, 82, 90, 76, 91, 90 

4th Inning:  89, 90, 78, 81, 89, 82, 80, 81, 90, 89, 80, 83, 83, 84, 84, 91 

5th Inning: 90,  89, 80,  89, 83, 82, 83, 80, 81, 83, 79

RHP Kevin Kelly:

6th Inning: 92, 89, 91, 77,  90, 91, 93, 93, 78, 91, 91, 91, 91, 91

7th Inning: 90, 90

LHP Eli Lingos:

7th Inning: 86, 85, 80, 86, 80, 80, 90, 89, 81

RHP Aaron Pinto:  

8th Inning: 81, 80, 86, 93, 82, 93, 93

9th Inning: 81, 81, 80, 81, 93, 88, 81, 88, 93, 80, 92