Bats Finally Blink in Ninth in 2-1 Loss to Clips
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tony Santillan struck out seven in four innings and Bats pitching allowed just an unearned run over the first eight frames, but the Columbus Clippers rallied with back-to-back doubles in the ninth inning to eke out a 2-1 win over Louisville Wednesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tony Santillan struck out seven in four innings and Bats pitching allowed just an unearned run over the first eight frames, but the Columbus Clippers rallied with back-to-back doubles in the ninth inning to eke out a 2-1 win over Louisville Wednesday night at Louisville Slugger Field.
Santillan was efficient in his season debut, allowing only three hits with no walks. He yielded his only run - an unearned tally on a defensive miscue at third base - in the third that allowed the Clippers to sneak ahead early, 1-0.
The Bats right-hander then retired his final seven batters faced and R.J. Alaniz (2.0ip), Hector Perez (1.0ip) and Brad Brach (1.0ip) combined for five whiffs over four scoreless innings.
Clippers second baseman Owen Miller doubled to open the ninth and third baseman Nolan Jones capitalized with a two-bagger of his own to plate Miller and send the Clippers to a 2-1 victory. With the run, Columbus snapped the Bats bullpen's scoreless streak at 9.2 innings through the first two contests of the season.
Louisville tallied its lone run on a triple from Alfredo Rodriguez in the sixth.
The Bats and Clippers continue their six-game series at Louisville Slugger Field on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Right-hander Vladimir Guiterrez is expected to take the hill for Louisville against Columbus southpaw Logan Allen.