The Columbus Clippers scored a run in their first at-bat Thursday at St. Paul when Will Brennan hit his first home run since being assigned to the Clippers last week. That’s all the Clips would score on the night. The Saints posted single runs in the second and ninth innings to win, 2-1. Brennan finished with three of the four Clippers’ hits.

It was the first-ever Triple-A start for Columbus lefty Ryan Webb. In 18 starts with Double-A Akron, Webb was 4-7 in 18 starts with a 2.87 ERA. In 106.2 innings, he had struck out 118 and walked only 39. On Thursday, he acquitted himself well. He went 5.1 innings, allowing a run on seven hits and two walks, and striking out three. 

St. Paul’s Anthony Prato singled in the second to drive in DaShawn Kiersay Jr., who had  doubled to lead off the inning. The Saints threatened in the bottom of the eighth with two walks to begin the frame. A strikeout, then a double play kept the score tied at 1-1.

The ninth was a different story. Prato tripled off Clippers’ reliever Nick Mikolajchak to lead off the inning. Two intentional walks loaded the bases. After a strikeout, Jair Camargo singled to drive in the winning run. Milolajchak (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, while St. Paul reliever Matt Bowman (1-0) snagged his first win.

The Saints now lead the series two games to one. They host Columbus Friday in the fourth game of the scheduled six-game set. The first pitch Friday at CHS Field is slated for 8:07 p.m.