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IL1 Gwinnett Stripers

Clippers' Clouts Sink Stripers in 10-4 Defeat

June 23, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Gwinnett Stripers News Release


LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - The Gwinnett Stripers' pitching staff allowed a season-high four home runs Saturday in a 10-4 loss to the Columbus Clippers at Coolray Field.

Starting pitcher Connor Johnstone, a Roswell, Georgia native and Atlanta resident, was promoted from Advanced-A Florida to Gwinnett Saturday after scheduled starter Lucas Sims was recalled by Atlanta. Making his Triple-A debut, Johnstone worked around a one-out double to throw a scoreless first inning.

Columbus took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Adam Rosales hit a one-out single and moved to third on a single by Eric Haase and a throwing error by shortstop Tyler Smith, putting runners at the corners with two outs. Eric Stamets drove in the run with a single, though it was unearned to Johnstone.

Gwinnett rebounded in the bottom of the second with a two-out rally against right-hander Shao-Ching Chiang. Carlos Franco led off with a walk, and after two outs Phil Gosselin also walked. Rob Brantly then dropped a bloop double into shallow left field, scoring Franco. Smith followed with a two-run double of his own to make it 3-1. Smith now has multi-RBI efforts in three consecutive games.

After a perfect third, Johnstone was sent back out to start the fourth inning. He gave up back-to-back homers to Mike Papi (5) and Rosales (8), tying the game at three and ending his night. Johnstone's line was 3.0-plus innings, six hits, three runs (2 earned) and three strikeouts.

Miguel Socolovich came on and promptly struck out the next three batters. He struck out two more in a scoreless fifth, extending his scoreless-innings streak to 20.2 frames dating back to April 27 against Durham.

Columbus took the lead back in the sixth against Rex Brothers (L, 2-2). Brandon Barnes started with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base. He would score the go-ahead run on a Rosales single.

Jason Hursh allowed the first five Clippers he faced to reach base in the seventh, resulting in three runs as Columbus broke the game open to 7-3. Hursh walked three and gave up three hits over 1.0 inning of work.

Michael Reed gave the Stripers hope in the eighth with a long solo blast to left, his third homer at Triple-A this year. But Columbus retaliated with two more long balls in the ninth off Chad Bell. Barnes (8) hit a solo shot and Haase added a two-run bomb (5) to make it 10-4.

Sal Giardina was called in to record the final out for Gwinnett - his fifth career Minor League pitching appearance - and he induced a Stamets fly ball.

For Columbus, Chiang (W, 3-0) was done after 6.0 innings with three hits, three earned runs and two walks allowed with five punch-outs. Three relievers including Cameron Hill (S, 3) combined to allow a run over 3.0 innings.

Smith and Brantly were the only Stripers with multi-hit efforts, each going 2-for-4. Ronald Acuna Jr., playing the second game of his rehab assignment for the Atlanta Braves, went 0-for-4 with a strikeout as the designated hitter..

The Clippers racked up 14 hits in the game, led by Rosales, who went 3-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs while reaching base in all five plate appearances. Mejia and Haase were both 2-for-5, and Stamets and Barnes were each 2-for-4.

The Stripers (34-39) will look to rebound for the series victory Sunday afternoon with a 1:05 p.m. matchup against the Clippers (36-37) at Coolray Field. Left-hander Max Fried (2-4, 4.47 ERA) is scheduled for Gwinnett against fellow southpaw Ryan Merritt (0-1, 5.91 ERA) of Columbus. Tony Schiavone will have the play-by-play call on 97.7 FM and 93.5 FM The Other Side of the River beginning at 12:35 p.m.

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