Triple-A Playoffs: Clippers, Express cruise to series leads in openers
In the International League finals, the Columbus Clippers topped the Indianapolis Indians 6-5 in the opening contest of the series. The Clippers are, ironically, the Triple-A affiliate of Cleveland Indians, who are currently still in the mix for an American League wild card seed, and not Indianapolis, which shares its nickname with the big league club.
Columbus needed a fifth and deciding game in the semi-finals to defeat the Norfolk Tides in order to have the right to face Indianapolis, which bounced Scranton Wilkes/Barre from the semi-finals with a decisive three game sweep earlier this month.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
The Indians had a number of their top prospects playing Single-A ball this season. A notable player for Columbus who has been contributing throughout the playoffs is 24-year-old shortstop Erik Gonzalez. The No. 10 prospect in the system as ranked by MLB.com, Gonzalez went 1-for-5 with an RBI and is now hitting .423 this postseason. Unfortunately for him, his path to the majors is blocked by the very special Francisco Lindor at shortstop in Cleveland, and All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis at the other middle infield position.
Gathering the win for the Clippers was reliever Joseph Colon, as it was Audy Ciriaco who hit a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth inning for the go-ahead and final run of the game.
Over in the Pacific Coast League of Triple-A playoffs, the Round Rock Express continued to dominate. The club won 9-8 over the Fresno Grizzlies. An affiliate of the young and uber talented Houston Astros, the Grizzlies still have a plethora of talent on the team, but could not figure out Rangers prospect Anthony Ranaudo, a 6-foot-7 right-hander who is yet to stick in the bigs.
No. 4 prospect in the Rangers’ system, outfielder Lewis Brinson, remained hot for the Express. Hitting leadoff, he went 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs plated. His postseason batting average now sits at .375.
Ranaudo is only 26. He has thrown 54.2 innings in MLB. Though he has not found his stride yet, he hurled five innings of one-run (unearned) ball for the Express Tuesday evening, allowing only three hits. The bullpen then took over and faltered, blowing a 7-1 lead. Down 8-7 headed to the bottom of the ninth, the Express scored a single run and forced extras. It was Brinson who took a walk with the bases loaded in the bottom of twelve to bring in the winning run.
Round Rock swept the Oklahoma City Dodgers in the semi-finals and have not lost a game yet outside the regular season. Their persevering victory over the Grizzlies should make them the favorites to win the Triple-A championship series towards the end of September.
The Triple-A playoffs will reach a climax sometime after the champions of the International League are set to face the PCL winners on September 22 in game one of the class Triple-A championships. The last organization to have won a class Triple-A playoffs title were the Columbus Clippers back in 2011.