Bats fall 6-2 as Clippers clinch division title

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Louisville Bats (53-76) fell to the Columbus Clippers (75-54) on Thursday night by a 6-2 score at Huntington Park. With the win, the Clippers clinched the International League West, their fifth division title over the last nine seasons.

Columbus completed the four-game sweep with a solid pitching performance, led by former Reds farmhand Scott Moss (2-0, 1.80), who made his second career Triple-A start after coming over to the Indians in a three-way trade that involved Trevor Bauer, Yasiel Puig, Taylor Trammell and others.
Right-hander Tejay Antone (2-8, 5.46) dealt with baserunners all night for Louisville, but mostly limited the damage with timely outs. He went 4.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, walking a career-high six and striking out five on 88 pitches and 46 strikes.
The Clippers took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Daniel Johnson hit a two-run homer, part of a five RBI night for Johnson. Louisville got on the board in the sixth, with Curt Casali's solo home run cutting the deficit in half, 2-1. The Major League rehabber went 1-for-2 with the homer and a walk as Louisville's designated hitter.
The clubs traded runs in the late innings to make it a 3-2 Columbus lead, before a bases-clearing double from Johnson in the eighth effectively put the game away, with the Clippers winning by a 6-2 score.
The Bats head to Victory Field for a pair of games against the Indianapolis Indians, with first pitch Friday night set for 7:15 p.m. Right-hander Keury Mella (8-12, 4.80) will start for the Bats and righty James Marvel (4-0, 2.15) for the Indians.