Cooper Ingle hit three home runs as part of a 4-for-4 day to lead the Columbus Clippers past the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, 7-5, on Thursday afternoon at Huntington Park in Ohio.
Ingle, the Columbus catcher, also had a double to help the Clippers even the six-game series at 1-1.
It was a big day for catchers as RailRiders backstop Austin Wells, playing his second game on an MLB rehab assignment, homered twice. Oswaldo Cabrera and Duke Ellis also had two hits each.
Wells jumped on the first pitch of the game from Columbus starter Pedro Avila and sent it over the center-field fence to give the RailRiders a 1-0 lead. But Ingle, leading off the bottom of the first, hit a 1-2 pitch from Alexander Cornielle out to right field for his first home run to tie the game at 1. Cornielle was making his RailRiders debut.
Ingle’s second home run with one out in the bottom of the third gave Columbus a 2-1 lead. Ingle sent a 2-1 pitch from Cornielle out to left field.
Three consecutive singles to open the bottom of the fourth enabled the Clippers to extend their lead to 3-1. Ralphy Velazquez led off with a single, took third on a single by C.J. Kayfus and scored on a single by Angel Genao.
In the top of the sixth, the RailRiders got that run back. Marco Luciano led off with a walk and Cabrera singled. They advanced to third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch and Yanquiel Fernandez’s single scored Luciano to make it 3-2. Jack Leftwich relieved Avila for Columbus and prevented further damage by getting Tyler Hardman to pop out and Jonathan Ornelas to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. The RailRiders hit into three double plays in the game.
Columbus responded by scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth. Carlos Lagrange came on in relief and walked Kayfus to start the inning. Genao reached on a two-base error, putting runners at second and third. Lagrange retired the next two batters on shallow fly balls to right. But Dayan Frias lined a two-run single to right-center field to give the Clippers a 5-2 lead. Ingle followed by sending a 2-2 pitch over the left-center field fence for his third home run and a 7-2 advantage.
Payton Henry led off the top of the seventh with a walk. With two outs, Wells hit his second home run of the game out to center field to pull the RailRiders within 7-4.
Then, in the top of the eighth, Cabrera led off with a double and Fernandez walked. With one out, Ornelas reached on a fielder’s choice with Fernandez being forced out at second. Ornelas and Cabrera then pulled off a double steal with Cabrera scoring to make it 7-5.
Franco Aleman pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout for the Clippers to earn his seventh save. Wells flirted with a possible third home run, but his deep fly ball was caught right in front of the wall by left fielder Frias to end the game.
Cornielle (0-1) went four innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
With Wednesday’s rainout, the RailRiders (35-35) and Clippers (39-31) will play a doubleheader Friday at 5:30 p.m. Righthanders Adam Kloffenstein (2-5, 5.13) and Dom Hamel (2-7, 7.63) are scheduled to go for the RailRiders. Columbus will counter with lefthander Logan Allen (2-2, 5.33) and righty Rorik Maltrud (1-0, 3.73).
Lombard to IL
Before Wednesday’s game, the New York Yankees announced that RailRiders infielder George Lombard Jr. was placed on the seven-day injured list.
Lombard, the Yankees’ top prospect, hurt his left hand attempting to catch a throw on a stolen base attempt during Tuesday night’s game in Columbus. According to reports on social media, the Yankees said he sprained a couple fingers, but all other tests were negative.