Brennan's Career Night Sails Clippers to Win Column
WORCESTER - A game time temperature of 44 degrees did nothing to cool the bats of the Columbus Clippers offense, or the arm of starter Doug Nihkazy, in a Friday night tilt with the Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park. Micah Pries led of the top of the second with
WORCESTER - A game time temperature of 44 degrees did nothing to cool the bats of the Columbus Clippers offense, or the arm of starter Doug Nihkazy, in a Friday night tilt with the Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park.
Micah Pries led of the top of the second with a triple, just missing his first home run of the season in his second game since returning from injury. Kody Huff brought home Pries to put the Clippers on the board, but they would not be done there. Petey Halpin singled and Dom NuƱez reached on a throwing error to load the bases for Christian Cairo. The 2019 fourth round pick would extend the Columbus lead with a deep fly ball to left, scoring Huff on the sacrifice fly. With runners on the corners, Will Brennan sent a sharp grounder to first. Worcester would get the force at second but Brennan would beat out the throw at first, allowing Halpin to score, making it 3-0.
Columbus would put together another three run inning in the top of the fifth. Brennan doubled on a liner to left, he'd trot home as the next batter Juan Brito smacked his first home run of the season. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native saw a changeup right over the plate and disposed of it 397 feet over the right center field wall.
Britos first homerun of the seasonš¤© pic.twitter.com/GxY9NPOb7A
— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) April 11, 2025
The inning would continue with a Will Wilson walk, followed by Pries reaching on a throwing error. Kody Huff then delivered his second RBI single of the game on a liner to right, scoring Wilson, and giving the ClipShow a 6-0 lead.
Columbus starter Doug Nikhazy (W, 1-0) breezed through his first four innings of work, not facing more than four batters in each frame. Worcester would get on the board in the fifth however on back-to-back RBI doubles by Seby Zavala and Roman Anthony, cutting the lead to 6-2. Nikhazy escaped without anymore damage done by the Woo Sox. He finished his outing going five strong innings, only walking one and striking out eight, matching the Thursday K total of Clippers starter Parker Messick.
Juan Brito would get one of those runs back in the sixth, scoring Will Brennan on a line drive single to center. Brennan reached in the at bat prior on his third hit and second double of the ballgame. Brito finished the game going 2-5 with three RBIs.
The Columbus bullpen continued to be stellar on the short season. Bradley Hanner retired Worcester in order in the sixth, Andrew Walters did the same in the seventh.
With snow beginning to fall at Polar Park, Brennan would match a career high with his fourth hit of the night in the top of the eighth. The two-run single from the former Kansas State Wildcat extended the Columbus lead to 9-2.
Will Brennan is currently 4-5 with a pair of doubles, 3 RBIs, and a stolen base.
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) April 12, 2025
The @CLBClippers have a 9-2 lead against the WooSox heading into the bottom of the 8th. pic.twitter.com/kEUtlm3AHa
Nick Mikolajchak worked a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation to close out the win for Columbus. Clippers have taken three of four in the series with Worcester.
The International League West Division leading Clippers improve to 9-3, Worcester drops to 4-8. The series continues on Saturday at Polar Park, first pitch scheduled for 4:05pm. Clippers return home to Huntington Park on Tuesday, April 15th, to host the Louisville Bats on a world famous Tansky Tuesday Dime-A-Dog Night! Tickets are available by visiting ClippersBaseball.com.