It was an extra-inning affair once again for the Knights and Clippers, but Columbus came up short this time on a three-run Cody Sanchez homer. The 5-2 loss for the Columbus Clippers (24-27) to the Charlotte Knights (17-35) ended a two-game winning streak for the Clippers.
Neither starter would receive a decision. Travis Banwart (3-1, 3.43) was great as he picked up his fifth quality start in 10 starts. Seven innings of two-run two-hit ball with seven strikeouts and three walks only allowed Banwart a no-decision as he got no run support. Columbus couldn’t figure out Dylan Axelrod (1-5, 5.08 ERA) who went six innings and allowed one run on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
Taylor Thompson (1-0, 3.29) was the winner pitching two and one-third hitless innings including the bottom of the 10th. Nick Hagadone (1-3, 3.32 ERA) took the loss as he surrendered a single, error and homer in the 10th.
Though each starter ended with a solid line, it was a rough start for each. Banwart allowed a double and three straight walks with one out in the first. It was a 31-pitch inning, but Banwart got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.
Columbus responded immediately by plating a run on a Carlos Moncrief RBI single in the bottom of the frame.
Each pitcher settled in, but it was Banwart who was spectacular for a stretch retiring 19 in a row. The 20th batter was Blake Tekkote who sent a fastball across the street past right field for his fourth homer of the year and give Charlotte a 2-1 lead in the seventh.
Columbus rallied to tie it in the eighth and had a golden opportunity with a runner on third, one out and the infield in. Moncrief hit a ball hard, but right at the first baseman, Andy Wilkins, who cut down Elliot Johnson at the plate trying to score the go-ahead run.
Inning number 10 started with a single, sacrifice bunt and error to get a pair of runners on with no outs. After Jared Mitchell put down a sacrifice bunt with two strikes it was second and third for Charlotte with one out. A hard hit grounder by Gorkys Hernandez with a drawn-in infield for the Clippers turned into a rundown at third as the runner tried to score. With runners at second and third with two away the Clippers had a chance to survive the inning. The next man up was Sanchez who ripped a fastball halfway up the bleachers in left field.
Despite only having five hits the Knights scored five because three of those hits were extra-base hits that came around to score.
The Clippers go for the series win Thursday at 6:35 p.m. at Huntington Park.
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