Guardians Farm Report: Battenfield Dominates For Columbus In Shutout of Syracuse
Columbus, Akron and Lake County all take home wins in their home openers on Tuesday night behind strong performances by each team's starting pitchers.
Triple-A Columbus Clippers
Columbus 5 Syracuse 0
The Columbus Clippers blank the Syracuse Mets in their home opener led by starter Peyton Battenfield's outstanding start. Battenfield making his second start of the season went six innings allowing just two hits while walking none and striking out five on the evening. The Clippers bullpen would finish the game with three more scoreless innings by three separate pitchers including reliever Enyel De Los Santos who struck out the side in the ninth.
The Clippers took an early 1-to-0 lead in the first inning on a Josh Naylor RBI ground out that scored Richie Palacios who led the game off with a triple. Columbus outfielder Alex Call added to the lead in the second inning with a solo homerun his first on the season. The team would add another run in the fifth inning on an error by Syracuse making it 3-to-0. Columbus would add two more runs in the seventh inning on an another RBI by Naylor who doubled to score Gabriel Arias. Outfielder Daniel Johnson followed to make it 5-to-0 with an RBI single that scored Naylor to cap off the scoring.
Top Performers:
- Peyton Battenfield 6.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 5SO (W)
- Alex Call 1-4 R HR RBI
- Josh Naylor 1-4 R 2B 2RBI
- Gabriel Arias 2-4 R 2(2B)
- Richie Palacios 1-3 2R 3B BB
- Daniel Johnson 2-4 RBI
Double-A Akron RubberDucks
Akron 5 Reading 4
The RubberDucks got a tremendous 2022 Double-A debut by pitcher Hunter Gaddis who pitched five and a third scoreless innings striking out seven Fightin Phils in earning the victory. The bullpen did allow three runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth but reliever Kevin Kelly was able to close out the game with his first save of the season.
The Akron offense got off to an early 2-to-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on back-to-back triples by George Valera driving home Jose Tena and Bo Naylor to score Valera. The RubberDucks would add two more runs on sacrifice flies by outfielder's Julian Escobedo and Will Brennan in the second inning to extend the lead to 4-to-0 over Reading. In the fourth inning Brennan would add to the lead making it 5-to-0 on a double scoring Escobedo for his second RBI of the game which proved to be the difference in the game.
Top Performers:
- Hunter Gaddis 5.1(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 1BB 7SO (W)
- Nick Gallagher 1.2(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
- Will Brennan 1-2 2B 2RBI BB
- George Valera 1-3 R 3B RBI
- Bo Naylor 1-3 3B RBI BB
- Jonathan Engelmann 1-3 2R 2B
High-A Lake County Captains
Lake County 5 Dayton 1
Lake County took home the win on opening night thanks to a dominate outing by right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee who was making his professional debut. Bibee threw four scoreless innings on just two hits while walking none and striking out eight Dragons on the evening.
The bullpen would follow up allowing just one unearned run over five innings. The Captains pitching staff finished the night with zero walks while striking out 13 Dayton batters.
Lake County's offense was led by first baseman Joe Naranjo who drove home two runs on the evening including a solo home run in the 6th inning his first of the season. Aaron Bracho had a good night with two hits including his first double of the year.
Top Performers:
- Tanner Bibee 4.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 8SO
- Jaime Arias-Bautista 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1SO
- Raymond Burgos 2.0(IP) 2H 1R 0ER 0BB 2SO (W)
- Cade Smith 1.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
- Joe Naranjo 1-2 R HR 2RBI 2BB
- Aaron Bracho 2-4 R 2B
- Johnathan Rodriguez 1-3 R BB
Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats
Delmarva 6 Lynchburg 3
The Hillcats would fall in their home opener allowing all six runs in the first inning to the Shorebirds. Starter Jake Miller who was making his professional debut would give up all six runs on eight hits including two home runs. To Miller's credit he would stay in the game and pitch three scoreless innings allowing just one hit and striking out four after the disastrous first.
Lynchburg right-hander Jack Leftwich would follow Miller making his professional debut as well. Leftwich would go on to throw three scoreless innings allowing just two hits and striking out three.
The offense was for the most part shutdown by Delmarva outside of a two-run home run in the second inning by 20-year-old catcher Richard Paz. The only other run the Hillcats scored came on an error scoring Carson Tucker in the sixth inning.
Top performers:
- Jack Leftwich 3.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO
- Yeury Gervacio 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 4SO
- Richard Paz 1-3 R HR 2RBI BB
- Isaiah Greene 2-3 BB
- Dayan Frias 2-5
- Carson Tucker 0-1 2R BB
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