Schimpf saves bullpen, game for Bisons
Jonathan Diaz hit a go-ahead RBI-single with two outs in the top of the 11th inning to give the Bisons a 5-4 lead over the Clippers…but Tuesday's victory for Buffalo at Huntington Park is no doubt all about Ryan Schimpf.
With a bullpen maxed out by a late Columbus rally and a short starts in consecutive games, Schimpf stepped on the mound and delivered just enough pitches to close out the Herd's 5-4 victory over the Clippers. With the bases loaded, Schimpf got Carlos Moncrief to fly out to centerfield to cap the dramatic, albeit strange conclusion to the Bisons' first road win in nine chances.
There was no one left to turn to in the bottom of the 11th after Diaz gave the Herd the lead. Bo Schultz had just completed his third inning of work and Gregory Infante, Bobby Korecky and Colt Hynes had already thrown in relief of starter Felix Doubront. Luis Perez and Rob Rasmussen were not available, having throwing 3.0 and 2.2 innings respectively in Monday night's 3-2 loss.
So Bisons manager Gary Allenson turned to Schimpf, who began the day 1-4 with a double and a walk as the Herd's third baseman. It would be Schimpf's professional pitching debut.
A roller-coaster of an inning began with a four-pitch walk to Michael Martinez. Jesus Aguilar then gave a half-swing at a pitch out of the strike zone and grounded into a force out. After jumping ahead of Tyler Holt 0-2, Schimpf threw eight straight out of the zone to walk Holt and James Ramsey.
Now with the bases loaded, Schimpf threw a pair in the zone and Audy Ciriaco flew out to right field. Columbus decided not to send Aguilar from third on the play, which would've easily tied the game as Melky Mesa's throw to the plate sailed high and needed a leaping grab from Sean Ochinko just to stop it from going to the backstop.
That brought up Moncrief with the game on the line. Ahead in the count 3-1, Moncrief decided to swing a Schimpf's next offering and cranked a line drive with home run distance foul. Schimpf's 24th delivery was his ninth strike and Moncrief flew out harmlessly to center.
Schimpf is the first Bisons position player to earn a decision since Trent Durrington earned the win in the Bisons 15-14 victory over Pawtucket on May 5, 2007. Chris Coste was the last Herd position player to earn a win on the road, beating Syracuse with four innings of work on September 1, 2002.
Ochinko hit a two-run single in the second inning and Matt Hague doubled home a run in the third. Brad Glenn's second home run in as many games in the sixth built the 4-1 lead the Clippers erased with a three-run eighth.