Guardians Farm Report: Gonzalez Hits Third Home Run In Wild Columbus Win
A wild one in Columbus and a walk-off win in Lynchburg highlight last night's action down on the farm.
Triple-A Columbus Clippers
Columbus 15 Syracuse 12
The Columbus Clippers trailed 12-to-9 heading into the eighth inning last night against Syracuse before erupting for six runs to take a 15-to-12 lead. Closer Nick Mikolajchak would shut down the Mets in the ninth inning to earn the save and give Columbus their sixth straight win.
Oscar Gonzalez and Richie Palacios would each drive in four runs apiece. Gonzalez had two hits including his third home run of the season while Palacios reached base four times on three hits and a walk.
Catcher Luke Maile just assigned to Columbus on a rehab assignment drove in a pair on the evening and reached base three times. Second baseman Ike Freeman just removed from a two-homer game the previous night reached base five times on a base hit and four walks.
Top Performers:
- Oscar Gonzalez 2-5 R HR 4RBI
- Richie Palacios 3-5 3R 4RBI BB
- Luke Maile 2-2 R 2RBI BB (Rehab)
- Ike Freeman 1-1 2R 4BB
- Alex Call 1-3 3R 2BB
- Mitch Tolman 1-4 R 2RBI BB
- Will Benson 1-4 2R RBI BB SB
- Nick Mikolajchak 1.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (SV)
- Aaron Pinto 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
Double-A Akron RubberDucks
Reading 12 Akron 3
Akron had a 2-to-1 lead after four innings before the wheels fell off in the fifth against Reading. The RubberDucks starter Xzavion Curry cruised through his first four innings allowing just one run and striking out five before giving up five runs in the fifth inning. The bullpen would allow six more runs in the sixth inning making it a 12-to-2 lead for the Fightin Phils. Akron scored once in the bottom of the sixth inning making it 12-to-3 which would end up the final score.
One bright spot was outfielder George Valera who came into the game in a slump went 2-for-4 including his first home run of the season. Fellow Outfielder Will Brennan continued to rake adding two more hits and driving in one on the night. Brennan is now hitting .423 on the season with a 1.010 OPS.
Reliever Kevin Kelly was the only pitcher not to allow a run on the evening for the RubberDucks throwing two scoreless frames while striking out a pair.
Top Performers:
- George Valera 2-4 2R HR RBI
- Will Brennan 2-3 RBI
- Jose Tena 1-3 R BB
- Kevin Kelly 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
High-A Lake County Captains
Dayton 4 Lake County 3
Lake County Captains starter Gavin Williams struck out 11 Dragons last night making only his second professional start. Williams did allow three runs over his four and two third innings but some sloppy defense behind him lent to some of the runs being scored. Williams now has and incredible 20 strikeouts on the season in just eight and two thirds' innings pitched.
The Captains offense scored three times in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Johnathan Rodriguez and two wild pitches by the Dragons starter Connor Phillips. Lake County would not score again the rest of the game however.
Jhonkensy Noel led the way with two hits on the night while Petey Halpin, Ray Delgado and Connor Kokx each reached base twice on base hits and a walk apiece.
Top Performers:
- Gavin Williams 4.2(IP) 3H 3R 3ER 1BB 11SO
- Hunter Stanley 3.1(IP) 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 2SO
- Raymond Burgos 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
- Jhonkensy Noel 2-4 R
- Petey Halpin 1-3 R BB
- Johnathan Rodriguez 1-4 RBI
- Angel Martinez 0-3 R 2BB SB
- Ray Delgado 1-3 BB
- Connor Kokx 1-3 BB
Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg 4 Delmarva 3
One night after earning their first win of the season the Lynchburg Hillcats would take home their second straight win in dramatic fashion on a walk-off base hit by outfielder Jorge Burgos.
The Hillcats trailed 3-to-1 heading into the eighth inning but would cut the Shorebirds lead to 3-to-2 on a double by first baseman Will Bartlett scoring Burgos. Lynchburg would tie the game in the ninth inning on a Milan Tolentino base hit with one out. Burgos the next batter would then follow with his game winning hit making it a 4-to-3 final score.
Starting pitcher Will Dion pitched well going four strong innings allowing two runs both unearned while striking out seven in his second start of the season. Reny Artiles would follow Dion with four innings of his own giving up just one hit and one run to the Shorebirds while striking out four. Reliever Hugo Villalobos pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win.
Top Performers:
- Jorge Burgos 2-5 R RBI
- Milan Tolentino 1-3 RBI 2BB SB
- Will Bartlett 1-4 R 2B RBI SB
- Joe Donovan 1-4 2B RBI
- Will Dion 4.0(IP) 3H 2R 0ER 1BB 7SO
- Reny Artiles 4.0(IP) 1H 1R 1ER 2BB 4SO
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