Clippers held to two hits, but pitchers deliver shutout

One day after piling up 10 runs on 12 hits, the Clippers scored only once, in the top of the first inning, and managed just two hits — from the first two batters of the game. But but Columbus got strong pitching from starter Adam Plutko and three relievers to pull out a 1-0 victory over Norfolk on Sunday afternoon before 5,175 in Harbor Park.

Brandon Barnes and Connor Marabell had back-to-back singles to open the game for Columbus, and Barnes scored when Yu Chang grounded into a double play. The Clippers didn’t manage another hit the rest of the way against the Tide’s Luis Ysla (0-1), Michael Kelly and Tim Melville.

After the first inning, the Clippers didn’t send more than four batters to the plate. They were retired in order four times, and no runner advanced past second. Eric Stamets (fifth inning) and Marabell (sixth) both walked and stole second, but were stranded there.

Fortunately for Columbus, its pitchers kept the Tides scoreless. Plutko (7-3) went 5

innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts and a walk, lowering his ERA to 1.70. Tyler Olsen and Ben Taylor combined for 2 innings of hitless relief with four strikeouts, and Jon Edwards picked up his fourth save with a 1-2-3 ninth that featured two strikeouts.

Norfolk’s biggest threat came in the fourth inning, when DJ Stewart and Pedro Alvarez opened the inning with back-toback singles, but Plutko induced two flyouts around a lineout to end the threat. The Tides were retired in order in the final five innings.

Ysla allowed the two hits and one run, with four strikeouts and three walks in five innings. Kelly pitched two innings, yielding two walks and striking out two, and Melville went the final two innings with a walk and a strikeout.

The Clippers finished their seven-game road trip 5-2. They return to Huntington Park for a seven-game homestand beginning at 7:05 Monday night against Rochester.