The Columbus Clippers (41-36) beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (38-40) 7-4 thanks to a five-run eighth inning Monday night. Audy Ciriaco was the story of the night as he led Columbus with a 3-4 four RBI night. Columbus took the series 3-1 with the win.
Ethan Martin (0-1, 5.56 ERA) had a rough outing out of the bullpen for Lehigh Valley. He allowed five runs on four hits and two walks in two-thirds of one inning. Nick Hagadone (3-4, 3.71 ERA) recorded the final out of the seventh and became the pitcher of record when the Clippers rallied in the eighth. C.C. Lee was called on for the six-out save and closed the game for his first save.
Travis Banwart (4-2, 3.39 ERA) pitched well and received a quality start, but received no decision for his efforts. He went six innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and one walk with a season high nine strikeouts. Brad Lincoln (4-3, 4.03 ERA) stayed in the game long enough for the IronPigs to take the lead in the seventh, but took no decision. He went seven innings and allowed two runs on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Ciriaco was the only Clippers to get a hit off of Lincoln.
The Clippers took the lead thanks to the blazing hot bat of Ciriaco. Carlos Moncrief walked and set up Ciriaco for a two-run homer, his third two-run shot in as many games. Thanks to his three-game homer streak Ciriaco is tied with Carlos Moncrief for second on the team with eight homers.
The IronPigs rallied to tie the game in the fifth. Jim Murphy singled with one out, followed by a two-out single for Nate Spears and throwing error by Moncrief in right field to put runners on second and third. Leandro Castro singled to score both men and tied it at two.
Lehigh Valley took the lead after stretch time at Coca-Cola Park. Murphy crushed a pitch to left for a lead-off homer and gave the IronPigs a 3-2 lead. Steve Susdorf made it a two-run game with an RBI double.
Columbus rallied right back in the eighth. After consecutive walks by Justin Sellers and Tim Fedroff started the inning Elliot Johnson singled to cut the lead to one. Jesus Aguilar grounded into a doubleplay, but Moncrief tied the game with a single. After Roberto Perez singled both men scored on a two-run double by Ciriaco.
Ciriaco finished a triple shy of the cycle. The four RBI night gave him 34, two shy of Aguilar for the team lead. Ciriaco has five homers in the last eight games for Columbus.
The Clippers travel to Buffalo to take on the Bisons at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday. T.J. House (1-3, 3.42 ERA) will toe the rubber for Columbus opposite Liam Hendriks (6-0, 1.92 ERA) and the Bisons.
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