The Columbus Clippers (31-32) beat up on the Charlotte Knights (21-43) by a 13-9 score Sunday afternoon after a one hour sixteen minute rain delay. The Clippers got plenty of offense as every starter reached safely and eight of nine starters recorded a hit. Every starter except leadoff man Jose Ramirez scored at least once.
Vinnie Pestano (2-3, 2.14 ERA) became the winner after pitching one and one-third scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Tommy Hanson (3-5, 6.16 ERA) got off to a rough start allowing six runs in his first two innings. He finished with four and two-third innings and gave up nine runs on six hits and five walks with three strikeouts and took the loss.
Gabriel Arias (1-2, 5.56 ERA) had an up and down game and received no decision. He went four and one-third innings and gave up six runs on nine hits with one walk and four strikeouts. He had a 9-2 lead before Charlotte rallied for four runs in the fifth.
Sunday was the first game back for “El Jefe” Jesus Aguilar from his second stint with Cleveland and he made his presence known immediately. After Tyler Holt drew a one-out walk Aguilar bombed a homer to center. The homer for Aguilar was his eighth of the year, most on the team.
The Clippers got more offense in the second inning off of Hanson. Carlos Moncrief singled to start off the inning and then raced around the bags to score on a Justin Sellers double. Tim Fedroff and Luke Carlin each walked to load the bases with no outs. Ramirez singled to score Sellers. Holt walked for the second time in the game and forced in another run. After just missing a homer on a long foul ball Aguilar scored the fourth and final run in the inning on a fielder’s choice and gave Columbus a 6-0 advantage.
The Knights got on the board in the bottom of the third. Jared Mitchell led off the inning with a solo homer. Then Micah Johnson tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly, which made it a 6-2 game.
The Clippers rallied for three runs in the fifth inning to make it a 9-2 game.
Charlotte refused to go quietly. A big fifth inning for the Knights made it a game. Jared Mitchell was hit by an Arias pitch to start the inning. Micah Johnson doubled to set up second and third with no outs. Carlos Sanchez drove in both Mitchell and Johnson on a two-run single. Marcus Semien doubled and Sanchez scored to make it 9-5. A Jordan Danks single made it 9-6 before an out was recorded.
With runners on first and second and one out in the bottom of the fifth Pestano came into the game for the Clippers. Pestano walked Blake Tekkote to load the bases with one out. Pestano left the bases loaded with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Clippers got some much-needed insurance after the Knights rally with a two-run double by Moncrief in the sixth.
Five Clippers had multiple RBI games as Ramirez and Aguilar led the way with three each. Aguilar was ejected in the eighth by home plate umpire Travis Carlson for arguing balls and strikes. Adam Abraham replaced Aguilar and grounded out to shortstop.
The Clippers go for the series win in game three at Charlotte in a 7:05 p.m. contest.
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