South Jersey Baseball:
Clippard Wins 11th as Thunder Down Erie, 5-4

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

By Dan Loney
Trenton Thunder Director of Public Relations

(Trenton, NJ)- Justin Christian stole three bases and score two runs, while Tyler Clippard allowed one earned run in five innings to lead the Thunder to a 5-4 win over Erie on Tuesday night at Waterfront Park. Combined with a Portland loss, Trenton's lead in the Northern Division goes up to 5 1/2 games.

Trenton (72-56) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st Inning with a two-run single by DH Shelley Duncan off SeaWolves starter Nate Bumstead. Grant Plumley added an RBI groundout in the 4th Inning to run the lead to 3-0. Erie (55-73) closed to within 3-2 with single runs in the 5th and 6th Innings, but Trenton responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth for a 4-2 lead. Christian walked and then stole 2nd and 3rd Base before coming home on a sacrifice fly by Plumley. Christian added another run on a wild pitch in the 8th Inning for a 5-2 lead. Erie starter Nate Bumstead (7-12) allowed four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings in the loss, his 6th in a row.

Clippard (11-10) worked five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) for his 8th straight win. After three scoreless innings from the bullpen, the SeaWolves got a pair of RBI singles in the 9th Inning off Justin Pope to close the gap to 5-4. Pope retired Victor Mendez on a ground out to end the game and earn his 23rd save.

The series concludes on Thursday at 7:05 PM. Matt DeSalvo (3-3, 6.97) starts for the Thunder against Erie's Virgil Vasquez (6-11, 4.21).