The sun was out and playoff baseball once again filled the air of Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia.
After rain brought a stop to Thursday night's action in the second inning, Game 2 of the Governors' Cup semifinals between the Columbus Clippers and the Norfolk Tides resumed play this afternoon. Unfortunately for Clippers' fans, their team did not get the memo that game time was at 4:05 PM EST.
Heading into Friday's matchup, Columbus looked to be in the driver's seat with 15-game winner (with a 2.90 ERA) Toru Murata on the mound for the club. Some even went as far to believing that a win was imminent for the Clippers' since the starter was taking the ball. However, the Tides had other plans.
Though Columbus' crafty right-hander escaped a second inning jam thanks to inducing an around-the-horn (5-4-3) triple play, the following inning Norfolk outfielder Henry Urrutia plated the first run of the game with a two-run home run. Later Murata's struggles would further worsen as Michael Almanzar tacked on a run in the fourth with an RBI ground out, and Baltimore Orioles' fifth-rated prospect Christian Walker joined in on the fun by blasting a two run bomb to extend the Tides lead to 5-0.
"What is going on with the 'Magnificent Murata?' Where is the same pitcher who dominated International League hitters this season?!" Today, the Columbus ace everyone had come so accustom to seeing was nowhere to be found as he completed only four innings and allowed five earned runs in by-far his worst Triple-A outing of 2015.
To make matters worse for the Clippers, their offensive fire power seen in the opener was extinguished by Norfolk's Tyler Wilson as he surrendered only one run (an Audy Ciriaco home run) in five innings. Additionally, Tides' relievers Pedro Beato and Oliver Drake continued the trend of sending the opposition back to the dugout empty-handed with two perfect innings that finalized a 6-1 victory.
While Christian Walker lived up to the title of "hitter to watch" with a round-tripper and three RBIs, International League RBI champion Jesus Aguilar was unable to plate any runners in a 1-for-3 day at the plate. In addition, former Oakland Athletics' prospect Michael Choice had no such luck of repeating his 3-for-4 performance in Game 1, ending Game 2 hitless.
So with the series now knotted at one game apiece, Columbus will look to inch closer to the 2015 Governors' Cup with Will Roberts (3-4, 3.06 ERA, and 39 SO in 70.2 IP) on the mound against Norfolk's Elih Villanueva (4-5, 4.71 ERA, and 24 SO in 57.1 IP). Tomorrow's first pitch from Huntington Park will be at 7:05 PM EST.