COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nick Cimillo launched a 437-foot home run in the second inning of the regularly scheduled contest and Shawn Ross hit a solo shot in the ninth inning of the resumed contest as the Indianapolis Indians won twice over the Columbus Clippers on Saturday night at Huntington Park. The Indians took the resumed game, 5-2, and the nightcap, 6-1.
The Indians (13-7, 44-51) trailed, 1-0, through three innings on Friday before the game was suspended due to inclement weather. The game resumed in the top of the fourth inning and Indy quickly took command.
Duce Gourson and Joshua Palacios got the rally started in the fifth, recording back-to-back singles to open the frame. After two straight strikeouts, Termarr Johnson hit a two-run double for a 2-1 lead and Ronny Simon followed with an RBI double of his own. Indy manufactured another run in the sixth when Gourson singled, stole second base and scored on a double from Palacios.
The Clippers (9-11, 50-44) posted their second run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the eighth to cut the game to 4-2. Shawn Ross belted his second home run of the season in the ninth for insurance as the rocket left his bat at 109.5 mph.
José Urquidy started the game on Friday night with 3.0 innings of one-run ball. Hunter Barco (W, 3-5) picked up the resumed game and tossed 3.0 shutout frames. Justin Mies recorded four outs, but left with the bases loaded with one out in the eighth. Beau Burrows (S, 6) escaped the jam and recorded the game’s final five outs.
Austin Peterson (L, 0-8) picked up the resumed game for Columbus and allowed four runs in his 4.0 innings.
In Game 2, Cimillo’s mammoth homer put the Indians on the board in the second frame. A Clippers sacrifice fly cut the deficit in half, but Indy answered with another pair of runs in the third inning. Simon added two insurance runs in the fifth with a two-run double.
Thomas Harrington opened a bullpen game and allowed Columbus’s lone run across 2.2 innings. Hunter Stratton (W, 3-4) tossed 1.1 scoreless to follow and
Major league rehabber Tim Herrin struck out the side in order for the Clippers to begin the game and Jake Miller (L, 3-1) allowed four runs in his 2.0 innings of work.
This week’s six-game series between Indianapolis and Columbus concludes on Sunday at 1:05 PM ET. RHP Antwone Kelly (4-5, 4.85), Pittsburgh’s No. 8 prospect, will take the mound for the Indians. RHP Yorman Gómez (0-1, 5.06) will be on the hill for the Clippers.