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Yankees Jump Out Early with Six Run Second, Hang on for 9-6 Win

May 21, 2012 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees News Release


Columbus, OH - What began as a one sided game turned into any but as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees raced out to a 7-1 lead over the Columbus Clippers with a six run second inning. The Clippers made a game of it scoring five runs in the fifth inning to cut the six run Yankees lead to just one at 7-6. SWB got some breathing room with solo homers from Steve Pearce in the eighth and the second home run of the night from Cole Garner in the ninth as the Yankees picked up a 9-6 win.

The teams traded runs in the first inning as the Yankees picked up a single tally off Clippers starter Corey Kluber (LP, 3-4) and Columbus picking up a run off SWB starter D.J. Mitchell (WP, 4-1). Matt Antonelli hit a one out triple to center for the Yankees off Kluber and scored on an RBI single to center from Steve Pearce, the first of his three hits and three runs batted in. Columbus tied things at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from Jared Goedert that scored Jason Donald who led the inning off with a double and went to third on a Lonnie Chisenhall single.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre blew the game wide open in the second as the starter Kluber was out of the game before the inning ended. With one down Cole Garner homered over the wall in right field for a 2-1 SWB lead. The Yankees would load the bases with one out on two singles and a walk for Pearce, who delivered his second RBI single of the night and a 3-1 lead. A bases loaded walk to Jack Cust extended the lead to 4-1. Another bases walk to Brandon Laird forced home the fifth run of the game. Francisco Cervelli completed the six run, five hit second inning with a two RBI single to center and signified the end of the night for Kluber as the SWB lead ballooned to 7-1.

The second series of the season between the two teams was not without fireworks once again. The Yankees and Clippers who had a bench clearing episode in the opening series at Frontier Field in Rochester earlier this month, traded hit batsman by on Monday night. Mitchell grazed Matt LaPorta's jersey with a pitch in the first inning and then hit the Clippers slugger in the wrist in the third. Matt Langwell the Clippers reliever who took over for Kluber took exception and threw at Cust hitting him in the upper back on the first pitch of the fourth inning. Langwell was ejected and no other incidents took place.

The Clippers made a game of it with a five run fifth off Mitchell. The first six Columbus hitters of the inning reach base with five of the six scoring runs. Gregorio Petit doubled, Jason Donald was hit by a Mitchell pitch and Ezequiel Carrera singled to load up the bases. Former Yankee Chad Huffman got home the first of five runs against Mitchell in the inning with an RBI single to right field. Lonnie Chisenhall knocked in two with a double and Jared Goedert followed with a two run single and the Yankees lead was trimmed to 7-6.

The Yankees would eventually get some breathing room off Clippers reliever Dan Wheeler with a pair of solo homers, one each in the eighth and ninth. Pearce led off the eighth inning with his team leading ninth homer over the wall in center for his third hit and third RBI of the night and an 8-6 lead. Garner completed the first multi-homer game of the season for the Yankees with a one out solo HR into the seats in left that closed out the scoring at 9-6.

The Yankees bullpen put up 4.0 scoreless innings in relief of Mitchell. Justin Thomas tossed a scoreless sixth and seventh inning with Chase Whitley adding a scoreless eighth inning. Kevin Whelan (SV, 11) stayed perfect on the season picking up his 11th save in as many chances to secure the win for Mitchell.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Columbus will wrap up the four game series at Huntington Park on Tuesday morning with a 10:35 AM start. Right-hander Ramon Ortiz (1-3, 4.21) takes the mound for the Yankees, while the Clippers counter with left hander Chris Seddon (4-2, 4.23).



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