Indians down on the farm

Here's how the Tribe's minor league teams fared Sunday:

Triple-A Columbus (58-33) - The Clippers headed into the All-Star break as losers of three consecutive games after losing to Toledo 4-1, but also with bigger concerns...LHP SCOTT BARNES (7-4, 3.68 ERA), who allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, went down in a heap with a left knee injury after fielding a ball coming off the mound in the sixth inning...INF JASON DONALD was 2-for-3 with a double and a solo homer that tied the game 1-1 in the fourth inning, but he also left the game with a hamstring injury in the top of the sixth...The Mud Hens scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth and held on for the win...Columbus had gone 12-3 against Toledo this season before hitting a three-game skid.

Double-A Akron (46-44) - The Aeros gave up three runs in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings en route to a 10-4 loss to visiting Erie at Canal Park...RHP PAOLO ESPINO (4-0, 2.79 ERA) was solid in his start, limiting the SeaWolves to just a run on three hits in four innings, leaving the Aeros with a 2-1 lead through the fifth inning...But RHP BRYAN PRICE (2-3, 3.31 ERA) suffered the loss after giving  up three runs the next inning...RHP MATT LANGWELL didn't fare much better, allowing six runs (four earned) on four hits in 2 1/3 innings...C MICHEL HERNANDEZ and INF CRISTO ARNAL each had two hits, a RBI and a double...DH RAUL PADRON was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI...OF BEN COPELAND went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

High Class-A Kinston (12-5 in the second half) -  An outstanding start from RHP MARTY POPHAM (3-0, 2.83 ERA) helped lead the K-Tribe s to its seventh win in 10 games against Frederick...Popham allowed just two runs on seven hits while striking out nine in 7 2/3 innings...Both teams' bullpens combined to throw 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, with the Keys' relievers giving up the only hit in that span...Meanwhile, Kinston's offense increased it's advantage to 3-0 in the sixth with a a solo home run from OF ABNER ABREU...Abreu went 3-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and a RBI...OF TYLER HOLT went 2-for-3 with a walk, home run and a RBI...RHP PRESTON GUILMET (0-1, 2.00 ERA) recorded his 23rd save of the season, which ranks second best in the Carolina League. 

Low Class-A Lake County - (6-11 in the second half) - Lansing LHP EGAN SMITH’S (4-3, 3.48 ERA) dominant performance was too much for Lake County to handle in a 7-1 loss to the Lugnuts - the Captains eighth loss in the last 10 games...Smith improved to 2-0 against the Captains in his last two starts, allowing just one run on seven hits and striking out seven in five innings...LHP MIKE RAYL (5-3, 2.40 ERA) picked up his first loss since June 16, giving up five runs on eight hits in five innings, exiting the game with the Captains trailing 5-1...RHP JORDAN COOPER (2-3, 5.11 ERA) and RHP LUIS ENCARNACION (1-2, 6.65 ERA) combined to toss three scoreless innings out of the bullpen before RHP JOEY MAHALIC (0-2, 10.20 ERA) dished up two runs in the ninth...OF JORDAN CASAS went 2-for-3 with a walk...DH KEVIN FONTANEZ went 2-for-4 with Lake County’s lone RBI of the night.

Short-season Mahoning Valley (14-10) - The Scrappers offense got off to an early 2-0 lead against Williamsport, but Mahoning Valley’s pitching staff was unable to hold the lead en route to a 6-2 loss...The Scrappers, who started the season 9-3, have gone 5-7 over their last 12 games to drop to second in the New York-Penn League...After taking the early lead, Williamsport responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning...C ALEX LAVISKY went 2-for-3 with a walk and a RBI...INF JORDAN SMITH went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored...RHP ROB NIXON (1-2, 3.90 ERA) has struggled to find any consistency, allowing four runs on nine hits in six innings in picking up the loss.