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New York Yankees top prospect Gleyber Torres’ Triple-A debut was largely overshadowed by Luis Cessa’s struggles on the mound against the Columbus Clippers on Tuesday evening.
Cessa gave up five runs while facing all nine Columbus batters in the first inning en route to a 6-3 loss on the road.
Clippers designated hitter Chris Colabello’s first-inning bases-loaded ground-rule double proved the biggest blow. The RailRiders faced a 5-0 hole an inning in, which proved to be too much to overcome.
RailRiders outfielder Clint Frazier smashed a two-run home run to left in the fourth inning, to score Mike Ford and make it a 5-2 game. Frazier returned to Huntington Park for the first time since he was traded to the Yankees back in July.
The 22-year-old went 1 for 4.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre cut the deficit to 5-3 in the top of the fifth inning after Tyler Wade doubled in Mark Payton. The Clippers responded in the sixth when Austin Jackson reached on a Torres fielding error that allowed Colabello to score.
Torres went 1 for 3 with a walk in his debut. The 20-year-old showed prowess at the plate, working to eight pitches in two separate at-bats. However, he was thrown out stealing second in the sixth inning.
Cessa (2-4) took the loss giving up six runs and nine hits over 5.2 innings. Columbus starter Adam Plutko (2-6) earned the win despite allowing three runs over five innings and Joe Colon pitched around a pair of ninth-inning walks to secure his fourth save.
Columbus 6, RailRiders 3
RailRiders`AB`R`H`BI
Wade ss`4`0`1`1
Fowler rf`4`0`0`0
Torres 3b`3`0`1`0
Ford 1b`3`1`1`0
Frazier lf`4`1`1`2
Refsndyer 2b`4`0`1`0
Williams cf`4`0`0`0
Payton dh`2`1`0`0
Rodriguez c`3`0`0`0
Totals`31`3`5`3
Columbus`AB`R`H`BI
Rodriguez 2b`5`0`0`0
Jackson cf`4`1`1`0
Lough cf`1`0`1`0
Diaz lf`5`1`2`1
Shaffer rf`4`1`2`1
Urshela 3b`3`1`1`0
Rodriguez 1b`3`1`0`0
Colabello dh`4`1`2`2
Moore c`3`0`2`1
Hankins pr`0`0`0`0
Stamets ss`4`0`0`0
Totals`36`6`11`5
RailRiders`000`210`000` —`3
Columbus`500`001`000`—`6
E: Torres (1), Wade (9); LOB: RailRiders 4, Clippers 9; 2B: Refsnyder (10), Ford (4), Wade (11), Jackson (1), Colabello (6) Moore (2); HR: Frazier (7); CS: Torres (1).
RailRiders`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Cessa (L, 2-4)`5.2`9`6`5`1`6
Jones`1.1`0`0`0`0`1
Heller`1.0`2`0`0`0`1
Columbus`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Plutko (W, 2-6)`5.0`4`3`3`1`4
Sulser (H, 1)`1.0`1`0`0`0`2
Olson (H, 5)`2.0`0`0`0`0`1
Colon (S, 4)`1.0`0`0`0`2`2
HBP: Urshela (by Cessa).
Umpires: Ryan Willis, HP; Brennan Miller, 1B; John Bacon, 3B.
Time: 2:38; Att: 7,306.