Columbus back in first with win

COLUMBUS, OH- The Columbus Clippers (54-47) held on to beat the Indianapolis Indians (54-47) 5-4 at Huntington Park Friday night. Clippers fans saw something they were used to seeing in 2014: a quality start by Tyler Cloyd and a homer by Jesus Aguilar.

Cloyd (8-5, 4.10 ERA) was quality for the fifth straight time and was his 10^th in 2014. He went seven innings and held Indy to three runs on six hits with one walk and a pair of strikeouts. Vin Mazarro (3-3, 2.45 ERA) was tagged with the loss after allowing a go-ahead homer to Aguilar. Mark Lowe closed out the ninth for his 14^th save.

Adam Wilk (7-8, 4.26 ERA) was solid for Indy, but took no decision despite a quality start. He allowed three runs, just two earned, on eight hits in six innings of work with no walks and five strikeouts.

In the first at bat of the night for the Clippers they had a better night offensively than all of Saturday. Jose Ramirez led off the bottom of the first with a double and scored on a two-out infield single by Audy Ciriaco. After Matt Carson singled Carlos Moncrief drove in the second Columbus run with a single the other way to left.

Ramirez kept rolling in the second. After Luke Carlin reached on an error by the Indy shortstop Robert Andino Ramirez drove in Carlin from first with an RBI triple and gave the Clippers a 3-0 lead.

The Indians rallied for their first hits and run in the fourth. Andrew Lambo drove in Brent Morel with a two-out double and made it a 3-1 game.

Indy scored another in the fifth to cut the Columbus lead to one. Andino smacked a double with one out and scored on a two-out single by Chase d'Arnaud.

The Indians then tied it in the seventh. Tony Sanchez hit a lead-off homer to the opposite field. The homer was the 17^th allowed by Cloyd, tied for most in the International League.

"El Jefe" led by example and gave the Clippers the lead back in the seventh. Ramirez doubled to start the inning and with one out Jesus Aguilar hit a no-doubter to left and made it 5-3 Columbus. It was his 13^th homer and first since June 26. The Clippers improved to 8-3 when Aguilar homers.

The Clippers turn to Toru Murata (0-1, 4.55 ERA) in game three against the Indians. Indy will be led by Nick Kingham (3-1, 1.62 ERA) Saturday night. First pitch will be at 7:05 p.m. for the Clippers and Indians.