Morimando hit hard in loss

Daniel Palka had three hits and Matt Hague a three-run double, and the Rochester Red Wings ripped Clippers starter Shawn Morimando for eight runs over 4 innings on Thursday afternoon in a 12-3 win at Frontier Field.

Morimando (10-8) allowed nine hits and walked six while striking out three for the Clippers, who lost a second straight in their threegame series with the Red Wings.

Palka got Rochester on the scoreboard with a solo home run with two outs in the first inning. Tommy Field had a tworun single in the third, and Palka and ByungHo Park followed with RBI singles in the fourth for a 5-1 lead.

Tommy Field opened the fifth for the Red Wings with a double off of Morimando. After Engelb Vielma reached on a single, Zack Granite was intentionally walked to load the bases. Shawn Armstrong replaced Morimando to face Hague, who doubled to left field to clear the bases.

Ronny Rodriguez had an RBI single for the Clippers in the first and Richie Shaffer a two-run homer in the fifth, his 25th homer of the season, but the team managed only four hits and went 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

Both Clippers runs came off of Red Wings starter Hector Santiago, who left in the fifth inning. The win went to reliever Alex Wimmers (4-3), a former Ohio State pitcher. Wimmers allowed one hit and struck out six over 2 innings, walking none.

The Clippers begin a four-game series Thursday at the Pawtucket Red Sox. They return to Huntington Park after that for a six-game homestand against Rochester and Pawtucket starting Tuesday.