The Clippers had no shortage of offense Saturday, but the pitching staff couldn’t keep pace in a 13-7 loss to Syracuse.
Kyle Manzardo and Blake Perkins each launched their first Triple-A home runs of the season for Columbus, while David Fry finished 2-for-5 with a double. Daniel Schneemann added a 1-for-3 day with a double and two walks, Cooper Ingle drew two walks, Dayan Frias went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, Milan Tolentino was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, and Ralphy Velazquez singled and was hit by a pitch.
Yorman Gomez took the brunt of the damage on the mound, giving up nine runs on eight hits over 3.1 innings. He struck out three and walked three. Hunter Stanley and Jake Miller each surrendered two runs in relief, while Connor Brogden was the only Columbus arm to post a scoreless outing, working 1.2 innings.
Akron got a much cleaner result, beating Somerset 6-3 behind a big day from Tyresse Turner and some timely relief work.
Turner went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two RBIs. Aaron Walton chipped in with a 2-for-3 effort that included a double, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly, and Ryan Cesarini doubled in three runs. Bennett Thompson was 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base, Dean Curley singled and stole a base, Alex Mooney went 1-for-3 with a walk and a steal, and Logun Clark walked twice.
Sean Matson allowed three runs on two hits in 4.2 innings, walking four and striking out four. But Jack Jasiak and Zach Jacobs shut the door from there, combining for 4.1 scoreless innings to secure the win and save.
Lake County had a tougher finish, falling 3-2 to Lansing after a strong outing from Jacob Zibin went to waste.
Zibin was excellent, throwing 5.0 shutout innings and allowing just two hits while walking three and striking out three. Conner Zsak followed with 2.0 scoreless frames, but Jogly Garcia gave up two unearned runs, and Luke Hernandez took the loss despite not allowing a hit because he issued four walks in 1.0 inning.
At the plate, Tommy Hawke went 2-for-4 and opened the game with a leadoff home run, his second of the season. Luis De La Cruz doubled, and no other Captains hitter reached base safely more than once or picked up an extra-base hit.
In the final game on the slate, Wilson topped Hill City 8-3.
Jose Pirela supplied the punch for the Howlers with his 11th home run of the season, finishing 1-for-3. Yelferth Castillo and Jonathan Martinez each went 2-for-4, with Martinez also drawing a walk and stealing a base. All four Hill City pitchers allowed at least one run, and starter Ryan DeSanto was tagged for three runs on four hits in 4.0 innings, striking out four and walking three.
In Other News...
Guardians Roster Churn Just Put These Former Top Prospects On Notice
The Guardians have spent the past stretch sorting through their prospect depth, and the ripple effects go well beyond the names that already changed places. Gabriel Arias, Bo Naylor and Juan Brito have all been part of the roster churn in one form or another, which has only sharpened the scrutiny on the next wave of young talent in the organization. For a club that has leaned hard on internal development, every move tends to send a message about who is rising, who is holding steady and who may need to force the issue a little longer.
Kyle Manzardo and George Valera are among the other former top prospects whose standing now feels worth monitoring, especially with recent performance and injuries complicating the picture. Manzardos path has already been affected by a move to Triple-A after the Guardians brought in Nathaniel Lowe, while CJ Kayfus is also in a difficult spot after a major ankle injury ended his season. Taken together, the list gives Cleveland a clearer look at its depth chart, even if the most important questions about who sticks and who slips still have to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Ingle Just Became A Real Guardians Lineup Option
Cooper Ingle stayed put at the trade deadline, and that alone says something about where he stands in the organization now. Still with the Columbus Clippers, he has continued to force the issue by producing at a high level in Triple-A, giving the Guardians another internal name to consider as they search for more offense and sort through a few recent roster changes.
For Cleveland, the timing matters. If the lineup keeps sputtering, Ingle looks less like a depth piece and more like a real option to come back up and help immediately. The Guardians do not need to look far to find someone who has been swinging it well, and the longer his run in Columbus continues, the harder it becomes to keep him out of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Could Get A Needed Pitching Boost At The Perfect Time
Ben Lively is inching closer to being an option again, and that matters for a Guardians pitching staff that could use some extra cover as the season moves into its final stretch. The right-hander, who signed a minor league deal with Cleveland in February and had already spent two seasons with the club before going down, has been working back from a right forearm strain that has kept him sidelined for months.
His rehab assignment has now reached a point where the next step feels significant, even if the team is still taking things carefully. A return would not just bring back a familiar arm, it would give Cleveland another layer of depth at a time when every healthy starter and swing option can make a difference in how the rotation holds up down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]