COLUMBUS – A return home did not reverse the fortunes of the Clippers, who dropped their sixth straight game, 8-5 to Lehigh Valley at Huntington Park Tuesday night.
Trailing 4-1, Columbus added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to come within a run of the IronPigs but a three-run home run by Jorge Alfaro in the top of the seventh gave Lehigh Valley all the breathing room the6y would need.
IronPigs starter Ricardo Pinto (2-1) allowed three runs on six hits and struck out six in 5 1/3 innings.
Adam Plutko (0-3) gave up nine hits in six innings of work in taking the loss for Columbus.
The teams play Game 2 of their three-game series at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday at Huntington Park.