Columbus takes back and forth affair over Louisville

For the second straight night, the Clippers scored ten runs as they won 10-7 slugfest to earn a four game split with the Louisville Bats.

Cord Phelps got Columbus on the board in the top of the third when he knocked in a run on a bases loaded single to right. They would only get one run on the play as Tim Fedroff was tagged out at the plate, but it would be the start of a big inning.

The very next batter, Russ Canzler, lined a ball towards shortstop. The grounder took a nasty hop that hit Louisville shortstop Didi Gregorious square in the face. It allowed Vinnie Rottino to score all the way from second, increasing the Clippers lead to 2-0. Columbus would continue to add on to their lead. With the bases loaded once again, Lars Anderson delivered, clubbing a three run double off of the right field wall and augmenting his club's lead to 5-0.

A Henry Rodriguez two run double in the bottom half of the frame made it a 5-2 frame. The Bats would then tie it in the bottom of the fourth. Cody Puckett forced in a run with a bases loaded walk and Gregorius lined a double down the left field line to knot all things at 5-5.

Louisville would then take the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a Corky Miller RBI single. Puckett then plated another run with an RBI single to right. What was once a 5-0 lead for Columbus had drastically turned into a 7-5 advantage for the Bats.

Now trailing by a pair, Columbus put together another big frame offensively in the top of the seventh. For a third time, they loaded the sacks. Phelps added to his RBI total, plating a run with an RBI single to center. Canzler then walked in the tying run. After that happened, Matt LaPorta coaxed another bases loaded walk from Louisville reliever Nick Massett, allowing the Clippers to regain the lead 8-7.

Columbus would tack on more runs in the top of the eighth when a Matt LaPorta grounder ate up Louisville third baseman Mike Constanzo. The play scored two, increasing the lead to 10-7.

That lead would go on to hold up as the final result. Matt Langwell (W, 2-0) picked up the win for Columbus, Massett took the loss for Louisville (L, 0-1), and Scott Barnes (1) got the save for the Clippers.

The Clippers return home to Huntington Park to begin a three game series with the Toledo Mud Hens. Left-hander Matt Packer (0-2, 5.71) will get the start for Columbus. He'll oppose Hens right-hander Brooks Brown (3-3, 4.88) First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.