Guardians Farm Report: Mace Comes Up Big For Lake County In Playoff Win Over Great Lakes

Here is a recap of what happened with the Guardians minor league teams last night.

Author:
Todd Paquette
Sep 16, 2022 9:40 AM EDT

In this story:

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

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Omaha 13 Columbus 6

The Storm Chasers jumped out to an early 4-to-0 lead getting to Columbus starter Aaron Civale who was making a rehab appearance knocking him out of the game after just two and two thirds pitched. Civale allowed the four runs on seven hits including two home runs. He did strikeout five and did not walk a batter.

The Clippers would answer in the bottom of the third inning when center fielder Will Brennan would drive home the team's first run on a base hit to left field making it a 4-to-1 game. Brennan would finish the game with a pair of hits and RBI's. He now has a farm leading 104 runs batted in on the season.

The Storm Chasers would add a run in the top of the fourth inning giving them a 5-to-1 lead. The Clippers bats would respond plating five runs in the bottom half of the inning two of which came on base hit by designated hitter Nolan Jones.

Columbus 6-to-5 lead would be short lived as Omaha would score three in the sixth, two in the seventh and three more in the ninth while holding Columbus scoreless the rest of the way in win in a blowout 13-to-6.

The loss for Clippers was their third straight to Omaha at home dropping their record to 78-58 on the year.

Top Performers:

Nolan Jones 2-4 R 2RBI
Will Brennan 2-5 2RBI
Oscar Mercado 2-4 2R 2B
Gabriel Arias 2-4 R
Trenton Brooks 1-4 2B 2RBI
Aaron Civale 2.2(IP) 7H 4R 4ER 0BB 5SO (Rehab)

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Bowie 10 Akron 1

Bowie would take it to Akron Thursday night scoring 10 runs on 12 hits and five walks in the game handing the Ducks their second straight loss moving them closer to being eliminated from playoff contention.

The RubberDucks have to sweep the final three games of the season against Bowie and have Erie lose their final three games against Richmond to make the playoffs.

The only run for the Ducks came in the third inning on a solo home run by center fielder Julian Escobedo. The home run for Escobedo was his sixth on the season.

Akron moves to 77-58 on the season with the loss.

Top Performers:

Julian Escobedo 2-4 R HR RBI
Bryan Lavastida 2-4 BB SB
Ray Delgado 1-3 BB
Micah Pries 1-4 2B BB
Cade Smith 1.1(IP) 1H 1R 0ER 1BB 4SO

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 2 Great Lakes 0 (Game 2)

Lake County second baseman Yordys Valdes would break up a scoreless game with an RBI double in the fourth inning scoring left fielder Connor Kokx who had walked earlier in the inning giving the Captains a 1-to-0 lead.

Still up 1-to-0 in the eighth inning the Captains would get an insurance run on an RBI base hit up the middle with two outs off the bat of catcher Micael Ramirez making it a 2-to-0 ballgame over the Loons.

Lake County would hold onto win 2-to-0 shutting out Great Lakes and holding them to just three hits in the game.

The Captains would get a tremendous start by Guardians 23-year-old right-handed pitching prospect Tommy Mace who struck out six Loons batters over five and a third scoreless frames allowing three hits and a pair of walks. For Mace who has had an up and down first pro-season it was one of his best outings on the year and it came at the perfect time.

A pair of Lake County relievers Alaska Abney and Raymond Burgos would hold Great Lakes without a hit after Mace departed over the final three and two thirds' innings in the game with Burgos picking up the save.

The win ties the three game playoff series at 1-to-1 with the deciding game on Friday night at 7:05 pm with Captains starter Aaron Davenport on the mound at Great Lakes.

Top Performers:

Micael Ramirez 2-4 RBI
Yordys Valdes 1-4 2B RBI
Connor Kokx 1-2 2R 2B 2BB
Petey Halpin 1-3 2BB
Tommy Mace 5.1(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 2BB 6SO (W)
Alaska Abney 1.2(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 2BB 2SO
Raymond Burgos 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (SV)

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg 5 Fredericksburg 2 (Game 2)

Needing a win to stay alive after dropping game one to Fredericksburg on the road Lynchburg would come out of the gate hot back at home. The Hillcats would plate four runs in the first inning with the big blow coming on a bases loaded three run double by first baseman Will Bartlett.

The four runs would be all Lynchburg would need as starter Juan Zapata would allow just two runs over five innings of work striking out four Nationals batters in the game picking up the win.

The bullpen was tremendous as three Hillcat relievers would hold the Nationals scoreless over the final four innings of the game without allowing a hit while striking out eight. Tyler Thornton would pick out the save striking out the side in the final inning of the game.

The win ties the three game playoff series at 1-to-1 with the deciding game Friday at Lynchburg at 2:30 pm.