The Columbus Clippers were behind 4-1 going to the ninth inning in their game at Buffalo Thursday. They scored four runs, with the help of Petey Halpin’s base-clearing triple, to take a 5-4 lead. The Bisons responded, however, with a run in the ninth and one in the tenth to grab a 6-5 win. Here are our three takeaways from the back and forth Thursday:

1.    The Clippers had chances to win the game Thursday. After taking a lead for the first time with four runs in the top of the ninth inning, they did not get the relief pitching they needed in the bottom of the inning and gave up a run to send the game to extra frames. The Bisons’ run came across after the first three batters walked, doubled, and then hit a sacrifice fly. In the top of the tenth, with a ghost runner at second, the three Columbus batters that came to the plate all struck out.

2.   Columbus batters struck out 10 times against Buffalo Thursday. The Clippers have been a good offensive team in the International League in their 24 games so far this season. Out of 20 teams, they’re third in runs (139), fourth in hits (206), and sixth in batting average (.254). The Clips are second with 144 walks, but the one statistic that is somewhat baffling is that they are tied for fourth with 223 strikeouts, an average of more than nine per game.

3.   Columbus reliever Franco Aleman suffered his first loss of the season, giving up Buffalo’s winning run in the tenth inning with just one out. William Simoneit’s single to drive in that run was the first hit Aleman has surrendered this season in his now nine appearances. His earned run average, however, remains at 0.00 because when a ghost runner crosses the plate, it is not an earned run.