Clippers Rally Late, Fall Short in Extras as Yankees Take Game Two 5-4

Yankees 5, Clippers 4 (10) – (box)
Series: tied, 1-1

The picture to the right might seem odd for a game recap. It’s just a guy—Ezequiel Carrera in this case—standing on first base. But, sadly, this picture is emblematic of the Clippers’ game last night. Down 4-0 in the 6th inning, Columbus rallied back to tie the score, with the last two runs coming on bases-loaded walks (the photo at right is Carrera on first after his game-tying bases-loaded walk in the 8th inning). But, with a bunch of runners on base in each of the last four innings and a chance to win the game, the Clippers just couldn’t get the much-needed hit. So, on base the runners stayed. Hence the picture.

The Clippers got just about all they could ask for from starter Zach McAllister, but shoddy defense and an inability to solve Yankeers starter David Phelps early did them in. The Clippers committed three errors on the night, one of which led to three unearned runs in the sixth. The offense could only muster one hit through the first five innings against Phelps. That the Clippers had a chance—multiple chances, really—to win this game late is a testament to their will and also to their bullpen.

Both pitchers were dueling early. It wasn’t until Clippers-killer-of-late Justin Christian stepped in for the Yankees in the third that there was a hit for either side. But, it was a homerun to dead-center, and just like that it was 1-0 Scranton/WB. But, all credit to Zach McAllister; he managed to shut down his former mates for most of the rest of his night.

Things unraveled a bit in the sixth. The Yankees’ Kevin Russo led off the inning with what appeared to be a routine grounder to short. The throw from Josh Rodriguez was tough, but catchable, however 1B Drew Sutton couldn’t bring it in. Russo was safe, and promptly stole second base. It looked like McAllister would escape, as he got a sac fly to center from Juan Miranda to move Russo to third, and then a huge strikeout of Jorge Vazquez for the second out. And, without the error, he’d have gotten out of the inning unscathed.

But, McAllister just couldn’t get that third out, as the next two Yanks’ hitters—Chad Huffman and Eric Bruntlett—each hit monster home runs to break the game open at 4-0. This sent McAllister to the showers, and with the way the offense for Columbus was going it looked like it would signal the end of the chance to win for the Clippers.

But, they had no ideas of going so quietly. Almost immediately, the Clippers finally got something going. Carrera, who is having a great series through the first two games, led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. After a Cord Phelps fly-out, Wes Hodges came up big. He crushed a ball the other way into the Wendy’s Hamburger Balcony (I just like typing it all out like that) to make the score 4-2. The Clippers finally had gotten to Phelps, and once they could get Scranton into their bullpen things would get very interesting.

Before I go into any play-by-play, I’m going to lay down the Scranton/WB bullpen stats for the night, to give you a hint as to how Columbus got back into this game late:

Five relief pitchers worked a combined 4.0 innings, gave up one hit, and struck out four. So, how did Columbus get two runs to tie the game? Those five pitchers combined to walk EIGHT hitters in four innings. And on top of that, before getting chased with nobody out in the seventh, Phelps himself allowed a double and a walk. So, if you’re scoring at home (and I am), that would be two hits and NINE walks in the final four innings.

Unfortunately, the other stat that matters is this one for Columbus: 14 runners left on base.

Columbus got closer in the seventh after the leadoff double and walk brought lefty Royce Ring from the bullpen to face lefties Jose Constanza and Carrera. Constanza dropped a perfect sac bunt (that he almost beat out for a single), and Carrera followed with a walk to load the bases with one out. Cord Phelps then worked a walk from reliever Zack Segovia. It was 4-3, bases still loaded, and one out. It looked like this would be the best chance for Columbus to tie up the score. Alas, though, Wes Hodges and Drew Sutton couldn’t even put the ball in play, both striking out to end the threat.

But, little did we know that the same scene would play out in the eighth. George Kontos replaced Segovia for the Yankees. After a Jared Goedert line-out, Jerad Head ripped a double down the left-field line to get that elusive tying run back in scoring position. And then, the bases-on-balls came again. Luke Carlin walked. After pinch hitter Argenis Reyes was called out looking at strike three, the rally looked to be stalled. But, Constanza walked to load the bases up again. The Yankees would again go to their pen for Kevin Whelan. Carrera came up in the clutch, and drew another bases-loaded walk to tie the score with Phelps coming up with a chance to be a hero and Vinnie Pestano warmed up in the pen to come in and close it down.

But, Phelps struck out, leaving three more runners on base.

Saul Rivera worked an uneventful top of the ninth for the Clippers, and the 4-5-6 guys came up with a chance to win it in the ninth for the Clippers. But, other than a two-out walk to Goedert, they could do nothing more against Whelan. And, unlike the previous night, the extra inning magic was not to be for Columbus on Thursday.

Scranton/WB pushed a run across in the 10th with a leadoff walk, a stolen base, and a single through the right side. Credit to Rivera, who then retired the 3-4-5 hitters with nobody out to keep the score at 5-4. John Van Benschoten came in to pitch the 10th for the Yankees, and much like his bullpen brethren he couldn’t find the strike zone. He issued a leadoff walk to Carlin, and after Reyes dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt, the tying run was again in scoring position with one out. Constanza ripped a liner to third that was snared by Brandon Laird, and it came down to Carrera again. And, not shockingly, he drew his fourth walk of the night to put the winning run on with two down. But Phelps could not keep it going, flying out to left field.

A final note on Carrera, who came over from Seattle in the Russell Branyan trade: in these first two games, he’s 4-for-6 with a double, home run, two RBI, three runs scored, four walks, and two stolen bases. He’s also played stellar defense in center field. He’s been everywhere for Columbus in this series so far.

So, the Clippers basically blew several chances to take a 2-0 series lead, and now must go to Scranton (well, technically Moosic, PA) and win two-of-three games to advance. Columbus sends Yohan Pino (10-9, 5.75 ERA in 26 starts) to the mound for Game Three against lefty Kei Igawa (3-4, 4.32 ERA in 22 games/10 starts). The game starts at 6:05 PM tonight.

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Photo Credit/Copyright: Waiting For Next Year