Guardians Farm Report: Benson Flashes Power And Speed Combo in Clippers Win

The only Cleveland Guardians affiliate in action on Memorial Day was Triple-A Columbus as Akron, Lake County and Lynchburg all had the day off.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 9 Toledo 1

Columbus jumped out to an early lead on Toledo Monday putting up a five spot in the second inning off Toledo starter Tyler Alexander. Clippers catcher Bryan Lavastida would drive in two of the runs on his third home run of the season.

#Guardians 23yr old (C) prospect Bryan Lavastida is starting to heat up at Columbus! Lavastida with a 2-run opposite field HR in the 2nd inning now gives him 3 HR's on the season with the Clippers.@Lavastida_ @CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/WGTvn9lMQO
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 30, 2022

Columbus starter Tobias Myers would give the team four scoreless innings of work before departing in the fifth after the first two runners of the inning would reach base.

#Guardians 23yr old RHP prospect Tobias Myers despite walking 4 today he was able to give Columbus 4.0 scoreless innings. Myers 2nd straight encouraging start.

Line - 4.0(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 4BB 2SO

Last 2 - 9.0(IP) 9H 1R 1ER 5BB 5SO 1.00 ERA@King_tobiasm @CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/8EBi018MEd
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 30, 2022

Clippers reliever Aaron Pinto would get out of the jam inducing a double play on Tigers top prospect Riley Greene then record a strikeout to get the third out of the inning. Pinto would go on to pitch a scoreless sixth inning as well and pick-up his second win of the season.

#Guardians 23yr old OF prospect Will Benson with a 2-run opposite field HR to give Columbus a 9-to-1 lead over Toledo. The HR was Benson's 8th on the season. @_thekidbilly_ @CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/HdwaWEMQsX
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 31, 2022

With Columbus up 7-to-1 in the eighth inning Will Benson who already singled, walked and stolen his 11th base of the season earlier in the game took Mud Hens reliever Shea Spitzbarth deep for an opposite field two run home run. The home run for Benson was his eighth of the season for Triple-A Columbus.

Benson's 11 stolen bases are currently the second most in the Guardians farm system behind Lynchburg Hillcats outfielder Luis Durango's 13 on the year. His eight home runs are the fourth most behind Jhonkensy Noel with 10 and Oscar Gonzalez and Joe Naranjo's nine.

With the series opening win Columbus improves to 29-20 on the season.