Going into Friday’s game at St. Paul, the Columbus Clippers had lost two in a row for the first time since late June. On Friday, the Clippers took a 3-1 lead into the late innings only to see the Saints knot the score at 3-3 in the eighth. Columbus scored two in the tenth and held on for a 5-3 road win.

Clippers’ starter Will Dion had another strong outing, going 5.2 innings and allowing only one run on three hits and.a walk, striking out nine. Columbus scored two in the second when Raynel Delgado doubled to drive in runners from second and third. The Saints scored a run in the bottom of the second to make it 2-1 Clippers.

There was no further scoring until the seventh when Johnathan Rodriguez knocked in a run with a single. St. Paul tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth against Columbus reliever Connor Gillispie on a two-run homer from DaShawn Keirsey Jr. Neither team dented the plate in the ninth sending the game into extra frames.

In the top of the tenth, Estevan Florial pinch ran for Rodriguez as the “ghost” runner at second base and promptly stole third. After a strikeout, Myles Straw grounded out with the infield drawn in. It was a tough chance for St. Paul second baseman Edouard Julien who could only go to first for the second out of the inning and Florial scored.

The Clippers added another run after Bryan Lavastida and Delgado singled, moving eventually to second and third base. Christian Cairo beat out a ground ball to first, allowing Lavastida to score but Delgado was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the same play.

Columbus reliever Erik Sambrowski (7-1), in his second inning of work, shut down St. Paul in the bottom of the tenth to earn the win. The loss went to Saints’ relief pitcher Hobie Harris (3-6).

The Clippers and Saints are scheduled to play the fifth game of their six-game series at CHS Field Saturday beginning at 7:37 p.m. Triston McKenzie (1-1) will take the mound for Columbus and will face St. Paul’s Caleb Boushley (9-4).

Transactions galore: On Sunday, the Cleveland Guardians recalled three players from the Clippers: starting pitcher Joey Cantillo, reliever Peter Strzelecki, and center fielder Will Brennan. The Guardians optioned shortstop Angel Martínez to the Clippers, who activated him.