The Columbus Clingstones (5-5, 34-40) put it all together on Friday and bully the Knoxville Smokies (7-3, 45-34) at Covenant Health Park, and surge ahead to take a 9-1 victory.
Decisive Plays: Julio Robaina (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, Win Decision, QS) threw his second quality start in a row for the Clingstones and set the tone in all facets of the game. The Columbus bats took the momentum set by Robaina and scored first in the third inning on a Patrick Clohisy RBI single, and then another run in the fourth inning on a rifle Drew Compton (4) homer to right field to make it a two-run lead for Columbus.
Into the sixth inning, Jordan Groshans (14) launches a solo shot into the bullpen in left center, for his first of two this ballgame. Just two batters later, Compton blasts an RBI triple to dead centerfield to score Archer Brookman and make it a 4-0 Columbus lead.
The biggest offensive inning came in the top of the eight, when the Clingstones sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on just two hits. The biggest hit was a leadoff solo shot that snuck over the tall wall in left field from Groshans (15) to collect his second homer of the night. The rest of the runs scored in walks, hit batsmen or defensive errors from the Smokies infield to uppercut Knoxville and make it a 9-0 Columbus advantage.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Smokies added on their only run of the ballgame on an Ariel Armas RBI triple that scored Karson Simas. Simas ended the game left at third and the Clingstones won, 9-1 on Friday night.
Key Contributors: Robaina (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, W Decision, QS) had his best Double-A outing this season, holding the Smokies scoreless through six innings. Groshan (2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI) smoked two home runs in a game for the second time this season.
Notable: Jordan Groshans has his third career multi-homer game, and second of the season with his first coming on 5/2/26 against Montgomery. Julio Robaina throws to his second straight quality start in a Clingstones uniform after going six scoreless innings on 6/27 against Rocket City.
Next Game (Saturday, July 4): Columbus at Knoxville, 7:00 p.m. ET at Covenant Health Park. LHP Herick Hernandez (0-2, 2.70 ERA) starts for Columbus against RHP Jace Beck (6-2, 3.02 ERA) for Rocket City. Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. ET on SportsVisions 92.1 FM. Stream: Bally Sports Live.