Usually the Clippers make a lot of noise on offense, but they were silenced in Game 1 of a doubleheader with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs as Columbus dropped a 4-1 decision. Eddie Bonine picked up the win for the Iron Pigs while Clippers lefthander David Huff dropped to 3-1 on the year. Mike Zagurski got the save for Lehigh Valley.

Iron Pigs centerfield Rich Thompson led off the game with a single. Kevin Frandsen followed with a single to right centerfield. Clippers starter David Huff was then able to get Dominic Brown to ground into a double play.

Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley grabbed a 1-0 lead when Iron Pigs third baseman Ronnie Belliard knocked in Thompson with an RBI flair into left centerfield. After a walk to Delwyn Young, former Clipper Josh Barfield hit a ground rule double that brought in another run in Belliard to increase the Lehigh Valley lead to 2-0. Huff would strike out right fielder Brandon Moss to end the inning.

In the top of the 2nd inning, Lehigh Valley catcher Eric Kratz led off the inning with a solo home run to deep left centerfield to enlarge the Pigs lead to 3-0. Frandsen then smoked a two out triple off the left centerfield wall. Fortunately for the Clippers, Domonic Brown struck out looking to end the inning.

The Clippers would get down to business offensively in the bottom of the second. Chad Huffman led the inning off with an infield single. While Travis Buck was batting, Huffman was caught trying to steal second. Buck would later single up the middle. That was followed up with a Cord Phelps single to right field. Following a Luis Valbuena fly-out to right field, Paul Phillips hit a bloop base hit into right center field which scored Buck to make it 3-1. Looking for more two out magic, Clippers left fielder Josh Rodriguez could not deliver as he flew out to right field to end the inning.

The Iron Pigs wanted to get that run back and were successful in doing so. Belliard led off the top of third with a single up the middle. Following a Delwyn Young pop out to second, Josh Barfield singled to right field to put runners on 1st and second with only one out. Brandon Moss then came to the plate and delivered a RBI single to drive in Belliard and make it a 4-0 Iron Pig advantage. The Clippers were able to get out the inning with a 6-4-3 double play, but were again staring at a three run deficit.

In the top of the fifth, more runs would come across the plate for the Iron Pigs. Domonic Brown and Belliard led off the inning with singles. Huff was then able to get Delwyn Young to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. After that, the Clippers lefthander struck out Josh Barfield to retire the side.

The Clipper were not able to mount a comeback as Columbus only had two base runners and no hits the final three innings.

Game 1 was a relatively low scoring affair. Game 2 was anything but low scoring. The Clippers were able to earn a split in a Mother’s Day doubleheader as they defeated the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 11-6.

In the top of the first, the Iron Pigs were looking to jump out to an early lead just like they did in the first game. The Iron Pigs had runners on second and third with two outs, but Clippers lefthander Scott Barnes got Delwyn Young to strike out swinging to end the inning.

In the bottom half of the first, the Clippers got off to fast start of their own. Ezequiel Carrera led the inning off with a walk. After Carrera stole second, the next batter, Cord Phelps smoked a double down the right field line that knocked in Carrera for an early 1-0 Columbus lead. After Lonnie Chisenhall reached on a fielder’s choice, Chad Huffman walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Travis Buck then walked to load the bases. Unfortunately for Columbus, Jason Kipnis grounded into an inning ending double play with only one run to show for that frame.

The second inning turned out to be a power-filled frame for the Clippers. Jered Head came to bat in the top of the second to lead off the inning. Head proceeded to smack a solo home run that hit off the Columbus Dispatch scoreboard in right center field. After a Wes Hodges single, Luke Carlin hammered a 1-1 pitch over the right centerfield wall to extend the Clippers lead to 4-0 over Lehigh Valley. With still nobody out in the inning, Carrera singled up the middle. After Carrera stole second, Cord Phelps struck out swinging for the first out of the inning. Chisenhall then reached safely on a groundball that Iron Pigs second baseman Josh Barfield was not able to throw cleanly to 1st. Carrera, showing great base running hustle as he came all the way around from second to score on the play to augment the Clippers lead to 5-0. Chad Huffman struck out swinging and Travis Buck grounded to second to end the inning, but four runs had crossed the plate for Columbus.

The third inning was filled with more fireworks of the offensive variety. Wes Hodges deposited a ball in the left field bleachers for a three run homer. Cord Phelps then hit a long ball of his own when he hit a two run shot to right field with one out. At the end of three, the Clippers had a commanding 10-0 lead.

After Lehigh Valley scored two in the top of the fourth, more runs came in for Columbus in the bottom half of the frame. Buck led the inning off with a walk. Kipnis then followed with a single. After Head struck out swinging, A Hodges single to right field brought in a run as Buck came around to score to make it 11-2 Clippers.

Power would be a big theme as runs in bunches came across the plate for the Iron Pigs in the top of the 5th. Kevin Frandsen hit a two run shot to make it 11-4 Clippers. That was followed with a Domonic Brown solo shot to left centerfield to draw the Iron Pigs within six.

Picking up where they left off in the top of the fifth, the Iron Pigs got another run via the long ball. Jeff Larish led the inning off with a solo shot that landed in the left field bleachers, cutting the Clippers lead to 11-6.

Continuing the offensive onslaught, Columbus got another run in when Jason Kipnis knocked in Huffman with an RBI single to increase the Columbus lead to 12-6.

At the end of the day, Corey Barns (2-1) got the win for Columbus while Brian Bass (1-2) was tagged with loss. The Clippers will be back in action on Monday as they open a four game series against the Charlotte Knights. Zach McAllister will get the start for Columbus. He will oppose Jeff Marquez. First pitch is 6:35 pm.

One night after Lehigh Valley snapped the Clippers 13 game winning streak, Columbus bounced back and beat the IronPigs, 10-7.

The Clippers offense caught fire early, scoring eight runs off of 11 hits in their first three innings. Overall, the Clippers had 17 hits and chased Iron Pigs starter Nate Bump after four innings.

Cord Phelps went 3-3 on the game with two RBIs and two runs scored. Ezequiel Carrera went 3-5, scoring twice and driving in one. Overall, the Clippers had four hitters with three hits on the game.

Clippers pitcher Joe Martinez made his fourth start of the year, allowing four runs in 5.2 innings and striking out 6. He improves to 2-0 on the year.

Josh Judy came in for the ninth inning and earned his fifth save of the year.

The Clippers and IronPigs square off again Saturday night at 7:05 for the third game in the four game series.

There is a saying that all good things must come to an end. That was the story as the Clippers dropped a home contest to Lehigh Valley 10-3, snapping a 13 game winning streak for the Clippers.

Columbus starter Corey Kluber did not get off to the swiftest of starts. The Iron Pigs quickly got on the board in 1st inning when Dominic Brown knocked in Rich Thompson with to give Lehigh Valley an early 1-0 lead. After Brown stole second, the next batter, Ronnie Belliard, singled to bring home Brown. On the play, Belliard was able to advance all the way to third after an errant throw from Clippers first baseman Chad Huffman. Huffman was trying to throw to second when Belliard tried to advance to second after the throw back into the infield, but his throw ended up in left field. Belliard would then be the third Iron Pig run of the inning when he came in on a Delwyn Young RBI groundout to first base. Kluber was able to strike out Iron Pigs left fielder Brandon Moss to end the inning, but the damage was done as Lehigh Valley staked itself to an early 3-0 lead.

The Iron Pigs were looking for more in the top of the second. Lehigh Valley had runners on first and third with two outs. Dominic Brown the top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system, hit a bullet to the right side of the infield, but Clipper second baseman Jason Kipnis made a diving stop and tremendous throw to get Brown at first to end the inning.

The bats would come alive for Columbus in the bottom of the third. After Clippers catcher Luke Carlin was hit by a pitch, Luis Valbuena lined a hit down the right field line that he turned into an RBI triple. Soon after that, Valbuena came in to score on an Ezequiel Carrera RBI groundout to first to make it 3-2 in favor of the Iron Pigs after three innings.

The next inning the Clippers were looking to some more damage on offense. Lonnie Chisenhall led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk. Chad Huffman followed with single up the middle. The next batter, Travis Buck, grounded into a double play. With a runner on third with two out, Jason Kipnis struck out to end the Clippers threat.

In the top of the fifth, Lehigh Valley again threatened on offense. After Kevin Frandsen single and Dominic Brown was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, Kluber got Ronnie Belliard to pop out in foul ground and Delwyn Young to fly out to center field. Jeff Larish walked to load the bases and that brought Brandon Moss to the plate. Moss went on to deposit a 1-2 pitch from Kluber over the right field wall for a grand slam to give Lehigh Valley a commanding 7-2 lead. Kluber would be pulled after the inning. He pitched five innings, giving up seven runs, six earned on six hits while striking out three and walking four.

In the bottom of the 5th, Cord Phelps scored on a Luis Valbuena RBI double to make it 7-3 in favor of Lehigh Valley. In the bottom of the 7th, the Clippers did not take advantage of a great offensive opportunity. Travis Buck led off the inning with a walk. The next batter, Jason Kipnis, singled up the middle. After strikeouts by Cord Phelps and Luke Carlin, Luis Valbuena struck out with runners on second and third to end the Clippers threat. The eighth inning proved to be another opportunity for a Clippers rally. Carrera and Donald walked to start the inning. Lonnie Chisenhall then crushed a base hit that went off the centerfield wall for a long single. But Huffman, Buck, and Kipnis all struck out to end that scoring chance.

Kluber was hit with the loss. His record drops to 0-3. Iron Pig right hander Drew Carpenter (2-0) got the win for Lehigh Valley. The Clippers hook up with the Iron Pigs tomorrow night. Nate Bump will go to the hill for Lehigh Valley. He will oppose Clippers right-hander Joe Martinez. First pitch is at 7:05 pm.

The streak has reached lucky number 13 as the Clippers prevail over the Charlotte Knights tonight 8-2 . They now improve to 21-5 overall and have a 5 game lead over Louisvile in the International League West Division.

The Clippers offense had a big say in tonight’s win. Columbus scored 8 runs in the ball game with the big number coming in the top of the seventh when the Clippers put up five in that frame. That was more than enough run support for Clippers righthandere Zach McAllister, who pitched his longest outing of the year. McAllister went eight innings giving up only two runs, all earned, on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. He is now 5-0 on the season as he continues to impress on the mound for the Clippers. Charlotte righthander Freddy Dolsi was saddled with the loss. He falls to 0-3 on the season.

In the top of the third, the Clippers got on the board with a lot of help coming from some small ball. Wes Hodges led off the inning with a double. The next batter, Luis Valbuena, laid down a dandy of a bunt that allowed him to reach on an infield single. With runners on 1st and third with nobody out, Ezequiel Carrerra stepped to the plate and he did not disappoint. His bunt single alowed Hodges to score from third and gave the Clippers an early 1-0 lead over the Knights. Unfortunatley for the Clippers, that would be the only run they would end up scoring that inning as Lonnie Chisenhall lined into a double play to the inning.

The Knights would come right back in the bottom of the third as Charlotte leftfielder Alejandro de Aza got the runner in from third with a sacrifice fly. Jered Head made it interesting with a strong throw from the outfield, but Charlotte shortstop Gookie Dawkins came in to score from third and just like that, we were all tied at 1 at the end of three.

The Clippers would then come to bat in the top of the sixth. Cord Phelps blasted a pitch that was just off the wall in right center field for a lead-off double. The next batter, Lonnie Chisenhall, lined a pitch to left field for a baseknock. After a Chad Huffman strikout, Jason Kipnis and he helped the Clippers get back the lead. Kipnis’s RBI single put the Clippers up 2-1 in the top of the sixth. But the Clippers were not done there as Jerad Head increased the Columbus lead. Head’s 11th RBI of the season augmented the Clippers lead to 3-1 at that point.

In the top of the seventh, the Clippers worked a little two out magic. Ezequiel Carrerra, Cord Phelps, and Lonnie Chisenhall all walked with two outs. Charlotte starter Freddy Dolsi was then pulled by Knights. Charlotte righthander Deunte Heath came on to relieve Dolsi and he was rudely greeted by Chad Huffman. Huffman’s two run single 5-1. But that was not all for the Clippers. Jason Kipnis got in on the act with his bat. Kipnis’s double increased the Columbus lead to 7-1. As if that wasn’t enough, the Knights added insult to injury with a defensive gaffe. By the end of the inning, the Clippers had scored five runs and had a 8-1 lead after 6 1/2.

The Clippers would cruise from there as Zach McCallister pitched eight innings while only giving up 2 runs on seven hits and striking out 5. Carlton Smith came on in the ninth for Columbus. Could the Clippers really go 8-0 on an eight game road trip and win their 13th straight ballgame? In a word, yes. Smith struck out three in the inning to seal the win and a perfect road trip.

The Clippers have an off-day on Wednesday. They will resume play at Huntington Park on Thursday when they open up a a four game series aginst the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Corey Kluber will get the ball for the Clippers. He is still looking for his first win of the season. He will oppose Brian Gordon, who will be toeing the rubber for the Iron Pigs in the series opener. First pitch is at 6:35.

Another game, another offensive explosion for the Clippers as they won 18-12 over the Charlotte Knights Monday.

Nine Clippers came to the plate in the first inning, as they put up four runs. Still, the Knights came back and led 9-6 in the top of the seventh. Then, a Luis Valbuena double, scoring Lonnie Chisenhall, Chad Huffman and Jason Kipnis tied the game. The Clippers broke it open in the eighth with an Ezequiel Carrera single. They went on to score eight more runs in the inning.

Carrera went 4-6 on the game, driving in four and scoring twice.

The win marks the twelfth in a row for the Clippers, and they look to sweep with a win against the Knights Tuesday. Right-hander Zach McAllister puts his 4-0 record on the line against Charlotte’s Freddy Dolsi.

The Clippers used a six run sixth inning to carry them to an 9-3 victory over the Charlotte Knights Sunday afternoon.

The first Clippers run came in the third when Donald doubled to tie the game at one. The next inning, Columbus took the lead on a Luke Carlin sacrifice fly to drive home Kipnis. Their final run came off of a Jerad Head single in the ninth.

The Clippers won their eleventh game in a row, and look to extend it to twelve 7:15 P.M. Monday. Lefty Scott Barnes will take the mound for the Clippers.