Clip Joint Easter Special

It's not very often that a team wins when their starting pitcher lasts all of three and a third innings while walking six and throwing barely 50% of his pitches for strikes.  Yet, that is exactly what happened this Easter Sunday for the Clippers.  Corey Kluber (6.23 ERA) got the start and danced into and out of trouble until Jensen Lewis relieved him in the fourth.  Despite the wildness Kluber struck out five and surrendered just three hits as two Indy runs (1 ER) came across.  Lewis (0.00) was masterful over 1.2, putting just one man on base and securing the win when Columbus put up five in the bottom of four.  Zach Putnam (0.87) threw two clean innings following Lewis and Josh Judy (3.68) closed for his first save.  The only bump in the road came in the 8th when an erratic Frank Herrmann (6.75) gave up two earned and let Indianapolis back into the game.  The final was 6-4.

Travis Buck (.625) got the Clips on the board with a second inning solo shot and added a walk and a second run scored.  Buck certainly has made an impression in his first two Cow Town appearances.  The five in the fourth came on a triple-homer-homer set from three straight hitters.  Jordan Brown (.250) brought in a pair with his three base hit then came home himself on a Paul Phillips (.227) long ball.  Luis Valbuena (.280) followed with a jack of his own to give Columbus the four run lead that would hold up through nine.  Jason Donald (.250), still recovering from a broken hand and a strained quad, was back in the lineup going 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout as he handled the DH role.

The Clippers play a pair tomorrow to make up for Saturday's rain out.  I'm kind of afraid to guess, but maybe Scott Barnes and Alex White for the twin bill.

Other Minor Points of Interest --

Not much to tell with Akron and LC taking the day off, but friend of the family Tyler Tufts did throw a clean ninth in Myrtle Beach's series finale with Kinston.  Ty worked around a leadoff double by CF Tyler Holt (.259) and wiffed formed top prospect Abner Abreu (.254) to finish the inning. 

Since I have all of this extra space, I'll treat you to my favorite Easter Sunday baseball story of all time.  Back in '98 I was sitting at my grandmother's house watching the Indians get their teeth kicked in by the Angels on good old channel 43.  This also happened to be the day that wunderkind Kerry Wood started his first MLB game.  43 cut to a studio update on the matter which featured this quote, "Many find it appropriate that Kerry Wood makes his debut on this day that celebrates the greatest resurrection, just as he is poised to resurrect the Cubs franchise."  Wow.  Talk about hyperbole.  All these years later it seems painfully laughable as well, especially after watching the Big K sputter through his tenure with the Tribe.

Now nap time.

Cheers.