The BlueClaws finished their homestand at 6-1 after a 6-2 win over Columbia on Tuesday. ---
The BlueClaws finished their homestand at 6-1 after a 6-2 win over Columbia on Tuesday.
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LAKEWOOD, NJ - Quincy Nieporte homered to open the scoring in the second inning as the BlueClaws coasted to a 6-2 win over Columbia on Tuesday afternoon at FirstEnegy Park, completing a 6-1 homestand by taking three of four from the Fireflies.
The win puts the BlueClaws at 20-games over .500 (16-9/57-37) for the first time since the finished the 2010 season at 84-55. They also won the season series from Columbia (11-14/45-47), taking six of the 11 meetings this year.
The BlueClaws took the lead in the 2nd inning on a two-run home run from Nieporte, his sixth home run of the season. Lakewood added three more runs in the fifth, with Jhailyn Ortiz's RBI double and Colby Fitch's RBI single.
Julian Garcia, making a spot start, threw four scoreless innings, allowing one hit with six strikeouts. He allowed a lead-off single in the first inning to Oliver Pascual, who was subsequently caugth stealing. Then Garcia retired the last 10 batters that he faced in the win.
Jonathan Hennigan (1-1), who gave up one run in two innings, was the winning pitcher. The BlueClaws open a series in Hagerstown on Thursday night and will return home on Monday to take on Greensboro.
Fireflies starter Nicolas Debora (2-3) gave up five runs in five innings and took the loss.
Simon Muzziotti had three hits while Daniel Brito, Jhailyn Ortiz, and Colby Fitch had two hits apiece.
After and off day on Wednesday, the BlueClaws will head to Hagerstown and open a series with the Suns on Thursday night.
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