Carson, Chen, Chisenhall lead Clippers romp of Braves

The Clippers snapped a four game losing streak by breaking out the bats in a 16-5 mashing of the Gwinnett Braves at Coolray Field. 

Columbus wasted no time jumping on Gwinnett lefty Sean Gilmartin in the top of the first. RBI doubles by Lonnie Chisenhall and Cord Phelps and an RBI single by Chun Chen quickly gave the Clippers an early 3-0 lead. The Braves later cut into that lead in the bottom half of the frame with a two run double by Gwinnett's Ernesto Meijia. The Clippers would score another run in the top of the second when Matt Lawson scored on a fielding error by Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornickey.

Gwinnett then put together a big bottom of the second. They made it a one run affair again with a Jose Yepez RBI single to right in the bottom of the second. Pastornicky then helped the Braves tie the game at 4-4 when he sent a grounder through the wickets of the Clippers first baseman Chen, driving in Yepez in the process. Meijia later added to his RBI total with an RBI single up the middle, giving Gwinnett a 5-4 advantage.

That Braves lead would be brief as Columbus came to bat in the top of the third. Chen tied the game at 5-5 with a solo homer over the left field wall. In the fourth, Columbus put up a crooked number on the scoreboard to the tune of five runs. A two run double by Chisenhall, a Phelps RBI sacrifice fly, a Jeremy Hermida RBI double, and a Tim Fedroff RBI single accounted for all the scoring during that inning.

RBI sacrifice flies by Chisenhall and Chris Wallace in the fifth and sixth respectively, padded the Columbus lead. Chen then plated two more runs with a single to right in the top of the seventh. Two more runs came around to score in the top of the eighth on an Ezequiel Carrera RBI single and a Matt Carson solo homer.

The sixteen runs scored by Columbus was a season high in 2013. With the exception of Lawson, every batter in the Clippers batting order had at least one run batted in. With the exception of Fedroff, every hitter in the Clippers lineup scored at least one run. Cole Cook (W, 1-0) picked up the win for the Clippers. He was part of an excellent effort from the Clippers bullpen as they held the Braves scoreless for the final 8 1/3 innings. Sean Gilmartin (L, 3-6) was hit with the loss for Gwinnett.

The Clippers and Braves will resume baseball activities at Coolray Field on Monday night. Righty Joe Martinez (1-5, 6.95) will get the start on the mound for Columbus. Gwinnett will go with right-hander David Hale (1-2, 5.40). First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM.