Braves rally late to beat Clippers 3-2

The Columbus Clippers (7-11) lost 3-2 to the Gwinnett Braves (12-7) Wednesday night in Columbus. Gwinnett rallied for a pair in the eighth to make it 3-2 and the Clippers couldn't push across a run with their last six outs.

The winning pitcher was Wirfin Obispo (2-0, 0.00 ERA) who pitched a perfect seventh in relief for the Braves and was in the game when Gwinnett scored the tying and winning runs. Scott Barnes took the loss failing to record an out in the eighth as he allowed two runs on two hits and a walk. Juan Jaime allowed no runs in the ninth to pick up his fifth save.

Neither starter factored into the decision, but T.J. House was solid for the Clippers. House notched a quality start going six and one-third innings and allowed one run on five hits, struck out a pair and walked one. He was better than Braves starter Mitch Atkins who lasted five frames and gave up two runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Columbus started with a pair of runs in the first. Jose Ramirez hit a double to lead off the inning and got to third on a Justin Sellers single. Next man up was Nyjer Morgan who hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Ramirez and make it 1-0. After a throwing error on a pickoff attempt for Atkins got Sellers into scoring position David Cooper hit a single to make it 2-0 Columbus.

There was not much action in the middle innings, though Gwinnett did score a run on a pair of singles and an RBI groundout by Ernesto Mejia in the fourth.

The big inning was the eighth for the Braves. With one out Barnes came in for Vinnie Pestano and gave up the 2-1 Columbus lead without recording an out. He allowed a walk to Jose Constanza, an RBI double to Philip Gosselin to tie the game up and a Tommy La Stella RBI single to make it 3-2 Gwinnett.

Columbus threatened in the ninth, but stranding the tying and winning runs both in scoring position when Morgan lined out to center to end it.

Ramirez extended his season-long on base streak to 17 with his double in the first. He went 3-5 with a run scored and three steals on the night. Jesus Aguilar saw his five-game hit streak and season-long on base streak end as he went 0-4 with a strikeout.

Game three of four is Thursday night with Tyler Cloyd (1-2, 7.56 ERA) starting for Columbus. Cloyd will face veteran righty Gavin Floyd (0-1, 4.00 ERA) for the Braves. It will be a 6:35 p.m. first pitch at Huntington Park.