After scoring 11 runs on Saturday against the St. Paul Saints at Huntington Park and failing to get the win, the Columbus Clippers bounced back Sunday, topping the Saints 8-5 to gain a series split of three games each. Here are our three takeaways from Sunday’s action:

1.    Two Clippers really stepped on the gas at the plate. George Valera hit his fourth home run in his last eight games, a three-run blast in the first inning, and doubled to drive in another run in the sixth. Kody Huff went 4-for-4 with double and three singles. He drove in a run and scored one as well.

2.   Clippers starting pitcher Justin Campbell made his Triple-A debut Sunday. Campbell was drafted by the Guardians in 2022 out of Oklahoma State, the 37th overall pick in the MLB Draft. Because of an elbow injury that resulted in Tommy John surgery, he has not pitched professionally until this season. He quickly moved up to Columbus after stints in Lake County and Akron. Against the Saints, he went two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk, while striking out one. His combined ERA for all three teams is 2.52 in 53.2 innings with 67 strikeouts. The native of West Hills, Calif. was pulled off the mound after warming up prior to what was to be his first Columbus start on July 1 and, once again, has bounced back.

3.  The Saints had two different hitters – Tanner Schobel and Walker Jenkins – who posted two home runs Sunday. Jenkins’ second home run came in the top of the ninth inning against Daniel Espino. With two outs and two runners aboard for St. Paul, reliever Steven Pérez entered the contest and got Emmanuel Rodriguez, the potential tying run, to fly out and nail down the victory for Columbus.