George Valera shows off his cannon arm, Jose Tena walks it off in Akron win

Columbus Clippers 7, St. Paul Saints 4

Box Score · Clippers improve to 21-12

The Alex Call hype train continued on Thursday as Call stayed scorching hot, going 3-4 at the dish to raise his season batting average to .311 and his season OPS to .978, which is tops on the club.

Richie Palacios also had a three-hit game, going 3-5 from the leadoff position. Tyler Freeman reached base twice, going 1-4 with a hit by a pitch while Oscar Gonzalez went 2-4 with a double and a rehabbing Yu Chang went 1-4 with a double and a walk.

Starting pitcher Tobias Myers allowed three runs in 6.0 innings, although none of the runs were earned. He also walked two, struck out two and gave up four hits.

Eli Lingos added two scoreless innings of relief and Thomas Ponticelli was called on with two outs in the ninth inning to record an eight-pitch save, striking out the lone batter he faced.

Akron RubberDucks 5, Erie SeaWolves 4 (F/12)

Box Score · RubberDucks float to 16-14

George Valera is primarily known for his offense ... and his bat flips, but he showed off his cannon of an arm on Thursday not once but twice. After gunning down a runner at the plate in the sixth inning, he did it again in the top of the 12th.

Valera’s defense helped keep Erie off the scoreboard and opened up the opportunity for Akron to walk it off in the bottom of the 12th, which is exactly what they did.

With two down, Jose Tena came through with a walk-off single, which would have been at least a double had it not ended the game, scoring ghost runner Ike Freeman.

Tena went 2-6, Mica Pries homered and walked, Jonathan Englemann homered and scored a pair of runs and Eric Rodriguez went 2-4 with a hit by pitch.

Starting pitcher Joey Cantillo had another strong outing, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings while striking out eight, walking one, and allowing just one hit.

Andrew Misiaszek, Kevin Kelly, and Kyle Marman were all incredible in relief, allowing one unearned run combined over 6.2 innings of work.

Lake County Captains 2, Great Lakes Loons 1

Box Score · Captains improve to 13-16

Lake County came out on top in a pitcher’s duel. Mason Hickman, like Cantillo, tossed 4.0 scoreless innings. He struck out six, walked two, and surrendered three hits in the process.

Piggyback partner Matt Turner allowed one run over 3.1 innings of relief, which tied the game, but Alaska Abney closed it out with 1.2 perfect innings of relief, striking out two to earn the win.

Offensively, the Captains didn’t do much as catcher Michael Amditis was the lone player to reach base safely twice, doubling and walking. Angel Martinez also doubled and had an RBI.

Lynchburg Hillcats 11, Down East Wood Ducks 3

Box Score · Hillcats climb to 15-14

Lynchburg’s offense erupted for 14 hits on Thursday and most of the lineup got involved.

Unsurprisingly, Milan Tolentino was a beast at the plate, going 4-4 and scoring four runs. Yordys Valdez went 3-5, Jorge Burgos went 2-4 with a hit by pitch, Isaiah Green went 1-3 with a triple and two walks, Jake Fox went 2-5 and catcher Richard Paz went 2-5.

Starting pitcher Will “Baby Kershaw” Dion was respectable, allowing two runs on four hits in 4.0 innings while walking three and striking out five. Piggyback partner Brauny Munoz earned the win with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.