River Cats 4, Clippers 0 | Columbus Clippers come up short in triple-A title game
By Pete Wickham For The Columbus Dispatch
Posted Sep 17, 2019 at 11:22 PMUpdated Sep 18, 2019 at 6:17 AM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Clippers came South looking to make history in the triple-A national championship game on Tuesday. They did — but not the kind they had in mind, dropping a 4-0 decision to the Sacramento River Cats before 9,123 at AutoZone Park.
The River Cats, who made the Pacific Coast League playoffs with a 73-67 record, became the first team to win the triple-A championship three times in the event’s 14-year history. The Clippers, who came in looking for their third title, instead became the first team to be shut out twice in the contest. They lost 7-0 to Fresno in their last appearance in 2015.
Lefty Caleb Baragar, making just his third start of the season at this level, had the Clippers reaching and guessing through five innings of two-hit ball, striking out five while mixing pitches from the low-90s to low-70s.
“Their guy was a bit wild early, and I thought if we got a walk we might ... but he settled down and did a great job mixing speeds and keeping us off balance,” Clippers manager Tony Mansolino said. “All their pitchers did a great job, and you just take your hat off to them.”
The Clippers found themselves in an early hole on the 94-degree night. Five of the first six Sacramento batters reached base off Kyle Dowdy, making just his second start for the Clippers, both in the postseason. This one lasted just a third of an inning as Sacramento jumped to a 3-0 lead on an RBI groundout by Francisco Pena and a two-run single by Jacob Heyward.
Relievers Argenis Angulo, Shao-Ching Chiang, Kyle Nelson and Cam Hill kept Sacramento at bay for much of the night, though No. 9 hitter Peter Maris reached Chiang for a two-out, solo homer in the sixth.
The Clippers got two runners on against Baragar in the fifth, but he ended the threat by striking out Eric Stamets looking. He struck out five, walked one and gave up a second-inning double to catcher Ryan Lavarnway and a bloop single by right fielder Connor Marabell.
“We lost two of our top hitters (to Cleveland) and that changed the dynamic,” Mansolino said. “But this is just a one-game playoff. It doesn’t take away from the job these guys did all season long.”
River Cats relievers Ricardo Pinto and Melvin Adon retired the next nine batters in order. After Adon gave up a leadoff single to Ernie Clement in the ninth, lefty Steven Okert came on and got Ka’ai Tom to hit a soft liner that first baseman Francisco Pena turned into a double play. Okert then fanned Mark Mathias to end the game.
Shortstop Abiatal Avelino and third baseman Levi Michael had three hits apiece for the River Cats, who had eight on the night.
The Clippers won 81 regular-season games, hit a team-record 213 homers and cruised to their 11th International League title, winning six of seven games. Going into the title game, they were 26-12 against lefties, including 3-0 in the IL playoffs.
https://www.dispatch.com/sports/201...clippers-come-up-short-in-triple-a-title-game
