Joes Lose the Lead Late to Clippers, 9-7

The Muskegon Clippers come to town as the Hamilton Joes are set to host the three-game series in two days. The doubleheader will be played tomorrow, July 11th. 

Clippers would get after Joe’s starting pitcher, Joey Buchanan, early with a four-pitch walk to start the game to Kaden Howard. Taylor Head would hit a base hit, and both would be brought home from a double from Isaiah Domey. Domey would come around on a double from Ben Meyers, and Meyers would later score on a sacrifice fly. Clippers would lead 4-0 through half an inning. 

The Joes would get one back in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice fly from Ryder Kirtley, scoring AJ Gundler. Zeros would mark the board for the next two innings until Nick Moss would lead off the fourth with a double. He would come around to score after two groundouts. Joes would hit another sacrifice fly in the bottom half, still trailing by only three. 

The bottom of the sixth was a walk parade for the Joes. Joes worked five walks in the inning, and two batters were hit by pitch. Only one hit was recorded, being Ryder Kirtley’s two-run base hit up the middle. Owen McKoon’s team-leading hit by pitch (15) would drive a run. Preston Zumwalt and Noah Kubasky’s walks would drive in two more. Joes would take the lead 7-5.

Clippers were not done, and in the seventh, Taylor Head would draw a walk to get a runner on for Domey. Domey would proceed to delete a baseball over the left-center wall for a game-tying home run. The game was very tense from there, with both teams not wanting to give an inch.

Top of the ninth, Howard would walk to start the inning, and he would be moved to second from a sacrifice bunt from Head. Domey would come up, and he would face Nik Copenhaver in an epic at-bat. Copenhaver was up 0-2 in the count, and Domey refused to strike out. Domey was spoiling good pitches from Copenhaver to stay alive. Domey would fight for his walk in the fourteenth pitch at-bat. 

Ben Meyers was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out to try for the double play. Dalton Dick would draw a walk, and Domey was able to score on a wild pitch. The Clippers would lead 9-7 going into the bottom of the ninth and were able to close it out.

Joes will be back home tomorrow as they will host the doubleheader against the Clippers and try to take back the series. First pitch is at 5:05 pm.