Back and Forth Series Finale Goes to the ClipShow
May 18, 2025 - International League (IL)
Columbus Clippers News Release
PAPILLION - The Columbus Clippers closed out their longest road trip of the season on Sunday afternoon at Werner Park against the Omaha Storm Chasers. Hoping for a series split, the ClipShow looked to win back-to-back games for the first time since April 14th and 15th.
Continuing his MLB rehab assignment, Lane Thomas (wrist) was penciled into the leadoff spot of Sunday's Clippers lineup and that decision paid off right away. The rehabbing Cleveland Guardians outfielder clubbed the third pitch of the game over the left field wall, just inside the foul pole, for a leadoff home run. Thomas went 3-4 on the day, finishing a triple short of the cycle.
Omaha answered right back in the second. After leading off the inning with a walk, MJ Melendez stole second. He advanced to third on an error on the throw, and scored on Tyler Gentry's sacrifice fly, knotting the game at one.
Storm Chasers took the lead in the third following RBI singles from Nick Loftin and Cam Devanney, making the score 4-1 after three complete.
Clippers answered right back in the top of the fourth. Johnathan Rodríguez singled and Petey Halpin walked, Kody Huff then doubled to right to score Rodríguez. The next batter Milan Tolentino singled through the right side, scoring Halpin, and slicing the Omaha lead to 4-3.
Columbus retook the lead in the fifth behind the third home run of the year for C.J. Kayfus. The former Miami Hurricane disposed of a 2-1 slider 367 feet away over the left center field wall. His two-run blast put the ClipShow back in front, 5-4.
Omaha tied the game back up in the bottom half of the frame on a Melendez RBI single. They retook the lead on another sacrifice fly from Gentry.
Much like the rest of the game, that lead disappeared quickly. With one away in the top of the sixth, Tolentino singled. He advanced to second on a sac bunt by Yordys Valdes, then moved to third on Guy Lipscomb's infield single, and scored on a passed ball, tying the game at six. Lipscomb moved to second on the passed ball, another passed ball on ball four to Thomas put runners on the corners for Brayan Rocchio. After Thomas stole second to put a pair in scoring position, Rocchio drove them both home with a two-run double, putting the ClipShow in front, 8-6.
With the way the score was going back and forth, Columbus added what felt like a much needed insurance in the seventh. Rodríguez led off with a walk, Petey Halpin then reached on an error, which allowed them to advance to second and third with nobody out. Huff, who had three hits in the game, then scored Rodríguez on a bunt single, giving us our final score of 9-6.
Bradley Hanner, Parker Mushinski, and Nic Enright (S, 1) combined to shutout the Storm Chasers over the final three innings. Mason Hickman (W, 1-0) picked up the win going 2.2 innings on the mound in relief, giving up one hit, two earned runs, and striking out four.
Columbus improves to 19-23, Omaha falls to 19-24. The long wait is nearly over as the Clippers finally return home to Huntington Park after the two-week road trip on Tuesday, May 20th for a world famous Tansky Tuesday Dime-A-Dog Night. Tickets are available by visiting ClippersBaseball.com.
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