Pigs Drop Series Finale to Clippers, 5-2

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (45-35) dropped their third straight with a 5-2 loss in the series finale to the Columbus Clippers (43-37) on Wednesday night at Coca-Cola Park.

The Clippers took a 1-0 lead with a run in the first when Erik Gonzalez led off with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Jesus Aguilar's RBI groundout.

Michael Choice's solo shot off of Pigs starter David Buchanan in the top of the second opened up a 2-0 lead for Columbus.

In the top of the third, Yandy Diaz led off with a single, stole second, took third on a throwing error charged to Pigs C Andrew Knapp and scored on Adam Moore's RBI double to extend the lead for the visitors to 3-0.

Columbus extended the lead to 4-0 with Joey Butler's solo shot off of Buchanan in the top of the fourth.

A run scored on a wild pitch charged to RHP Phil Klein (2.2 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K) in the top of the sixth gave the Clippers a 5-0 lead.

The Pigs cut the lead to 5-1 with a run in the sixth as Taylor Featherston (2-4, R) reached with a one-out single, advanced to second on a single and scored on Nick Williams' (2-4, 2 RBI) RBI single.

Buchanan (4-5) gave up the five runs on eight hits while walking one and fanning five in 5.1 IP.

Columbus starter Mike Clevinger (8-0) allowed one run on six hits to go along with a walk and six strikeouts in six innings of work.

Emmanuel Burriss led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and later scored on an RBI single from Williams to bring the IronPigs within 5-2. Later in the frame, the Pigs had the tying run at the plate with two outs, but RHP Austin Adams (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K) fanned Knapp to end the inning. Adams notched his fifth save of the year.

Cedric Hunter (2-3) also had a multi-hit game for manager Dave Brundage's squad.

RHP Colton Murray (1.0 IP, H) tossed a scoreless outing in relief for Lehigh Valley.

The Pigs will open a four-game set with the Charlotte Knights on Thursday night at Coca-Cola Park. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. as LHP Anthony Vasquez (1-0, 4.32) toes the rubber for the IronPigs against Knights RHP Chris Volstad (5-5, 4.45).