Clippers beat Knights in extra innings, 5-3

CHARLOTTE - The Columbus Clippers won their second game in a row Wednesday night, but it took them extra innings to do it.

Columbus (35-38) defeated the Charlotte Knights, 5-3, in ten innings in Charlotte, to take a 2-1 lead in the four-game series between the two clubs.

The Clippers left 12 runners on base and went just 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but they came through when it counted. In the top of the tenth, a Jared Goedert double scored right fielder Trevor Crowe to give Columbus the lead. Goedert scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Tim Fedroff, but his RBI double was all the scoring the Clippers needed, as Charlotte went scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

Goedert, playing third base, went 3-for-4 with two doubles.

Columbus left-hander David Huff threw 5.1 strong innings, allowing just two runs—one earned—while giving up seven hits. While the Clippers’  bullpen shutdown the Knights in the tenth, they blew a save opportunity earlier in the game. Charlotte, trailing 3-2 heading into the seventh inning, scored off left-hander Scott Barnes to tie the game. Right-hander Chris Ray preserved the Clippers’ win when given the chance, throwing two-scoreless innings in relief.

For the second-straight night, Columbus got out to an early lead.

The Clippers scored two runs in the fourth inning and another one in the fifth to get out to a 3-0 lead.

Pacing the way for Columbus was Fedroff, batting in the leadoff spot. Fedroff went 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He made up for an awful performance by the Clippers’ second and third hitters, left fielder Jason Donald and second baseman Cord Phelps, who went a combined 0-for-11 at the plate.

Matt LaPorta had a strong game, however, in the cleanup spot, scoring the Clippers first run of the game in the fourth after singling to center field. The designated hitter went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a double.

Columbus and Charlotte will end their series with a 7:15 p.m. contest Thursday night.

Andrew Holleran is a third-year journalism student at The Ohio State University. You can follow him on Twitter @andrewjholleran or reach him via e-mail at holleran.9@buckeyemail.osu.edu.