After falling asleep in the first game of their double header with the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Columbus Clippers came roaring back to take the second game on Wednesday.
The series was supposed to open on Tuesday, but rain postponed the start of the four game series until Wednesday.
“We hadn’t been on the field in awhile, it did seem like the second game we had a little more energy,” manager Mike Sarbaugh said.
Columbus lost the first game despite taking a 1-0 lead when Cord Phelps stepped into the designated hitter role and ripped a single-shot home run with one out.
In the fifth inning, Pawtucket right fielder Matt Sheely singled, then advanced to second on a throwing error by Columbus third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall.
Later, second baseman Tony Thomas walked, before center fielder Josh Reddick brought Sheely home on a single into right field, tying the game at one.
First baseman Lars Anderson then zipped a three run home run, making it 4-1.
A Thomas sacrifice fly in the sixth brought home shortstop Brent Dlugach for another run.
The top of the seventh brought two more when left fielder Drew Sutton smacked a two run homer, making it 7-1.
Columbus Right fielder Jerad Head got his fifth homer of the year, in the bottom of the seventh, making it 7-2.
Snagging the loss for Columbus Jeanmar Gomez, who is now 3-1 on the year.
The Clippers came alive in the second game, winning 8-3 scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
This time, it was Pawtucket getting points first when Anderson put his mark on the scoreboard, both literally and figuratively, with a single run shot in the second inning.
Columbus quickly took the lead when left fielder Josh Rodriguez, at the plate with a full count and bases loaded, hit a two RBI single making it 2-1, Clippers.
Columbus exploded with five runs in the sixth inning, thanks again to Rodriguez and some timely errors by Pawtucket.
Batting again with bases loaded, Rodriguez smacked one down the third base line that was bobbled by third baseman Hector Luna, bringing in second baseman Jason Kipnis.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much there, I was just trying to see if I could do something like I did at my first at-bat,” Rodriguez said.
With bases loaded again, center fielder Ezequiel Carrera singled toward Dlugach, who also bobbled the handle, allowing Head and (back-up) catcher Paul Phillips to score.
Phelps put the last two runs on the board for Columbus, when his two-RBI double later in the inning brought in Rodriguez and Carrera.
Getting the win in the second game for Columbus was Joe Martinez who is now 3-1 on the season.
Columbus plays Pawtucket again at 6:35 p.m. Thursday. The Clippers are now 27-13 on the season.