COLUMBUS – A two-run double by Brandon Barnes gave the Clippers the lead and the bullpen locked the door as Columbus beat Norfolk, 7-4, in the opening game of a series at Huntington Park Tuesday night.
The Clippers trailed the Tides, 4-3, going into the bottom of the fifth inning but Barnes hit a one-out double to left field, scoring Eric Stamets and Yandy Diaz to give Columbus a 5-3 lead.
Luke Eubank (3-1) got the win but it was Louis Head, Matt Belisle and Cam Hills who kept the Tides off the board the rest of the way, giving up only two hits, and Hills notched his second save of the season.
A two-run home by Nellie Rodriguez in the eighth salted away the win.
The two teams return for Game 2 at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.