The Columbus Clippers hit twi solo home runs in the top of the eighth inning to beat the Iowa Cubs, 4-2, at Principal Park in Des Moines Thursday. With the score tied at 2-2, Cooper Ingle and Angel Genao connected on back-to-back dingers to give the Clippers a 2-1 lead in the series. Here are our three takeaways from Thursday afternoon’s game:

1.    Our first takeaways in the two previous games in Des Moines have discussed the Clippers’ catching crew. Well, here we go again. Cooper Ingle was back behind the plate Thursday. He returned to the Clipper lineup this past Sunday after being placed on the Injured List on April 24 with right hip inflammation. On Thursday, he went 3-for-3 with a walk, the big hit being his home run in the eighth. He is now batting .432, with 18 RBIs, in his 18 games this season. Is that I-71 calling his name?

2.   In his first relief appearance of the season, Trenton Denholm went the final three innings and picked up his second win of the season. He did not allow a run on just one hit and no walks. Until now, he had started six times and allowed 22 earned runs, including seven homers, in his 30 innings of work. It’s impossible to tell at this point whether this is a decision as to his role or just one of those days when he was available and they needed him to finish things out.

3.   Kahlil Watson scored the Clippers’ first two runs of the game in what was the definition of small ball. In the first inning, he walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Juan Brito, and then scored on Nolan Jones’ single. In the fifth, he singled, stole second, and then went to third on a wild pitch. With Brito at first behind him, the Clippers ran a double-steal. Watson broke to the plate when the throw went to second. The I-Cubs didn’t react quickly enough and the speedy Watson stole home.