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Guardians Farm Report: Lake County And Lynchburg Both Punch Their Tickets To Championship Series

Here is a recap of what happened with the Guardians minor league teams last night.
Todd Paquette|
Guardians Farm Report: Lake County And Lynchburg Both Punch Their Tickets To Championship Series
Guardians Farm Report: Lake County And Lynchburg Both Punch Their Tickets To Championship Series

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Cleveland Guardians

All Four Cleveland Guardians league affiliates were in action on Friday with both Lake County and Lynchburg each taking part in game three of their best of three playoff series.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Omaha 8 Columbus 7

Columbus trailed Omaha 5-to-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning already with one run in catcher David Fry would double home two more runs tying the ballgame up at 5-to-5. Fry now over his last 26 games s hitting .330 with eight doubles three home runs and 14 runs batted in.

The Storm Chasers would come back and take a 7-to-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning until Clippers center fielder Will Brennan would tie the game up on his 40th double and 105th RBI on the season. The double for Brennan also extended his hitting streak to 10 games during which he is 21-for-49 good for a .429 average.

Omaha would take an 8-to-7 lead in the top of the ninth inning on a solo home run off Clippers reliever Ian Hamilton. Columbus would fail to score in the bottom half of the inning dropping their fourth straight game at home to the Storm Chasers. 

The loss drops the Clippers record to 78-59 on the season.

Top Performers:

  • David Fry 1-3 R 2B 2RBI BB 
  • Nolan Jones 1-3 2R 2BB 
  • Trenton Brooks 1-3 2B RBI BB 
  • Gabriel Arias 1-4 2R BB 
  • Will Brennan 1-5 2B RBI 
  • Luis Oviedo 2.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 3BB 0SO

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Bowie 10 Akron 3

Five Akron pitchers would combine to allow 10 runs on only eight hits but 10 walks in their blowout loss to Bowie Friday night. 

On offense two of the teams runs scored came off the bat of center fielder Julian Escobedo on his seventh home run on the season. Escobedo has now homered in back-to-back games for the Ducks. 

The loss officially eliminated the RubberDucks from playoff contention and dropped their record to 77-59 on the year.

Top Performers:

  • Julian Escobedo 1-3 R HR 2RBI 
  • Ray Delgado 2-3 RBI BB SB 
  • Johnathan Rodriguez 1-4 R 2B 
  • Daniel Schneemann 1-4 R 
  • Kyle Marman 2.0(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 5SO

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 6 Great Lakes 5 (Game 3)

Lake County looked to win their second straight game on the road at Great Lakes Friday night with the winner moving on to the Midwest League championship series round to face the South Bend Cubs.

It looked good for the Captains early with the team taking an early 3-to-0 lead in the first inning on a 418-foot three run home run by cleanup hitter Alexfri Planez. Planez would collect four hits in the contest finishing 4-for-5 with a double, home run and the three runs batted in. 

The Captains would plate two more runs in the top of the fourth inning on a double by second baseman Yordys Valdes making it a 5-to-1 game at the time. Valdes had a terrific three game series going 5-for-11 with three doubles and three runs batted it in.

The Loons would come back to make it a 5-to-4 game scoring three runs off starter Aaron Davenport in the bottom of the fourth inning knocking him out of the game.

The Captains would get an all-important insurance run off the bat of first baseman Joe Naranjo who would give them a two-run cushion on an RBI base hit giving Lake County a 6-to-4 lead.

The run would be pivotal as the Loons would score in the bottom half of the sixth to cut the Captains lead to one run at 6-to-5.

Lake County reliever Trey Benton who got the final out of the sixth inning stayed on and held Great Lakes scoreless in both the seventh and eighth innings with the team still hanging on to their slim one run advantage.

With the Captains still leading 6-to-5 they would turn to relief pitcher Jordan Jones to get the final three outs of the ballgame. Jones would induce a groundball to record the first out of the inning then proceed to strikeout the final two batters of the game earning the save and sending Lake County to the Midwest League championship series!

Top Performers:

  • Alexfri Planez 4-5 R 2B HR 3RBI 
  • Yordys Valdes 3-4 R 2(2B) 2RBI 
  • Connor Kokx 2-4 SB 
  • Joe Naranjo 1-5 RBI 
  • Trey Benton 2.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (W) 
  • Jordan Jones 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (SV)

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg 3 Fredericksburg 0 (Game 3)

The Hillcats needed a win at home with their playoff series tied up at one game apiece with Fredericksburg to move onto the Carolina League championship series.

They would not only win put throw their second straight shutout holding the Nationals to just one hit in the game. Hillcats reliever Zach Pettway would pitch the final two innings getting the final out and earning the save!

Lynchburg starter Ryan Webb would pick up the win in the contest throwing five no-hit scoreless innings walking three while striking out six Nationals in the game.

On offense Lynchburg would score their three runs on seven base hits including an RBI single by designated hitter Junior Sanquintin in the fifth inning making it a 3-to-0 game at the time. Sanquintin would finish the game 2-for-4 with a run and the one run batted in.

With the series clinching win Lynchburg moves onto plat the Charleston River Dogs in the Carolina League championship series.

Top Performers:

  • Junior Sanquintin 2-4 R RBI 
  • Will Bartlett 2-3 2B BB SB 
  • Richard Paz 1-4 RBI 
  • Isaiah Greene 1-4 R 
  • Ryan Webb 5.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 3BB 6SO (W) 
  • Zach Pettway 2.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 0SO (SV)

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WATCH: Both Terry Francona and Phil Nevin Ejected After Bizzare Seventh Inning Of Guardians Angels Game

What Terry Francona Thinks About MLB Rule Change Coming Next Season

Three Guardians To Watch For Against The Angels

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Todd Paquette
TODD PAQUETTE

Todd Paquette is a Cleveland-area sportswriter and minor league insider who covers the Cleveland Guardians and their farm system. He has been writing professionally since 2014 and has worked for Cleveland Guardians On SI since 2021.

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