The Columbus Clippers (24-26) beat the Charlotte Knights (16-35) 8-6 Monday night. Columbus had an offensive breakout as they took a 2-0 series lead on Charlotte at Huntington Park.
After twelve innings the previous night each team needed a good outing from the starters. Kyle Davies (2-2, 4.40 ERA) provided relief to the tired bullpen as he picked up the win. Davies gave up four runs on seven hits in six and one-third innings with five strikeouts and one walk. Erik Johnson (0-2, 6.09 ERA) had no such luck. Johnson gave up eight runs on eight hits in four innings with three walks and two hit batters. Vinnie Pestano got his third save by recording the last out in the ninth.
The Clippers jumped all over Johnson in the first. The Clippers loaded the bases on a walk, single and hit batter with one out. With the bases juiced Carlos Moncrief singled to right to give the Clippers an early lead. With the bases still loaded Tim Fedroff drew a walk to force in a second Columbus run. A two-run single by Audy Ciriaco and a Jose Ramirez single made it 5-0 Clippers. Columbus sent 11 men to the plate in the inning.
The Knights got two back after a single by Andy Wilkins and a double by Tyler Saladino led off the inning and led to runs in the top of the second.
The Clippers added one in the second and two more in the fourth to make it an 8-3 game after the Knights got one on a solo homer by Andy Wilkins in the fourth.
A homer by Blake Tekotte made it 8-4 in the seventh, but by that point the Clippers appeared to be fully in control.Things would get dicey as the Knights scored a pair with two outs in the ninth on a Frank Herrmann balk and Jordan Danks RBI single, but Pestano got the last out on a ground out to third.
The loss has the Knights at risk of being 20 games under .500 in May. The eight runs scored are the most on the homestand for Columbus.
Game three will be breakfast baseball as the Clippers and Knights get started at 10:35 a.m. at Huntington Park Wednesday. Travis Banwart (3-1, 3.55 ERA) will start for Columbus against Felipe Paulino (0-3, 9.61 ERA) for Charlotte.
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