Guardians Farm Report: Jones Homers For Second Straight Game In Columbus Season Finale

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

Author:
Todd Paquette
Sep 29, 2022 9:07 AM EDT

In this story:

The Triple-A Columbus Clippers remain the only Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliate still playing games as Akron, Lake County and Lynchburg all have finished their seasons.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 11 Indians 3

Columbus finished their season Wednesday with another impressive offensive display against Indianapolis putting up 11 runs on 12 hits seven walks and three home runs sweeping the three-game series and finishing with a record of 85-64 on the year.

Indianapolis took an early 1-to-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Clippers starter Konnor Pilkington would uncork a wild pitch with a runner on third and two outs.

Columbus would respond in the bottom half of the first plating seven runs on six hits a walk and two three-run home runs all coming with two outs in the inning.

The first three runs of the inning for the Clippers came on a Nolan Jones blast to deep center field. For Jones it was his ninth home run of the year with the team over 55 games played. Jones finished his season hitting .276 with a .368 on base percentage and a .831 OPS.

Columbus would score their fourth run in the inning on an RBI base hit to center field off the bat of designated hitter Gavin Collins scoring Jose Tena from second base.

Now up 4-to-1 and two men on base still in the first second baseman Mitch Tolman would launch a three-run home run off the scoreboard in right field capping off the seven-run frame. For Tolman it was his 11th home run on the season.

Moving to the bottom of the fifth inning with the Clippers leading 9-to-2 they would get their third long ball of the game with one out and a man on first center fielder Oscar Mercado would crush a two-run shot to left center field making it an 11-to-2 game.

The home run for Mercado was his fifth with Columbus over 49 games played. Mercado finished the season red hot over his last 21 games hitting .362 with 17 runs batted in. He also posted an impressive .464 on base percentage to go along with a .957 OPS.

Konnor Pilkington picked up the victory going five and two thirds' innings allowing three runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out five Indianapolis batters.