Clippers' Paolo Espino shines in shutout of Buffalo: Minor-league report

Austin Adams pitches seven shutout innings in Akron victory; Marty Popham sharp in Kinston win; early mistakes lead to Lake County loss; Jordan Smith's 2-run double fuels Mahoning Valley; Lake Erie drops third straight.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 5, Bisons 0: RHP Paolo Espino (2-1, 3.95) allowed just two hits and struck out seven in seven innings as Columbus blanked Buffalo (N.Y.) at Huntington Park. Cord Phelps hit a two-run homer in the seventh. Jared Goedert and Jerad Head also hit homers. Chad Huffman's double in the eighth paid off when he scored on Paul Phillips' sacrifice fly to center.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 4, Baysox 2: RHP Austin Adams held Bowie (Md.) scoreless through seven innings and fanned seven batters.

Juan Diaz hit a single and scored on a Baysox fielding error in the first inning. Diaz then started a three-run fifth inning by hitting a double and scoring on a Ben Copeland single. John Drennen scored when Bowie's Chorye Spoone replaced pitcher Robert Bundy and walked Kyle Bellows with the bases loaded.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 3, Keys 1: Marty Popham (6-2, 4.37) had eight strikeouts in seven innings, Roberto Perez knocked in two runs with a double in the second and Kinston beat host Frederick, (Md.) Perez then scored on a fielding error. Kyle Landis had five strikeouts in two innings to earn his third save.

A Lake County Captains

Tincaps 8, Captains 3: With the help of two Captains errors, Fort Wayne jumped out to a four-run lead in the first inning at Classic Park and held on to win. The Captains showed some life in the sixth when Luigi Rodriguez hit a two-run triple and then scored on a sacrifice by Giovanny Urshela. The loss went to Jordan Cooper (2-7, 4.91).

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 7, Doubledays 6: Right fielder Jordan Smith doubled with the bases loaded in the sixth inning to knock in two runs and Mahoning Valley hung on to defeat Auburn (N.Y.) at Eastwood Field.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Slammers 7, Crushers 3: Joliet (Ill.) scored four times on four hits in the seventh and handed visiting Lake Erie its third straight loss. The three-game losing streak for the Crushers (43-41) marks their longest skid since being swept by the Slammers back on July 29. The Slammers (51-34) are 8-2 against the Crushers this season.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/08/clippers_paolo_espino_shines_i.html

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