Clippers lead wire-to-wire to beat Gwinnett

The Columbus Clippers (7-10) downed the Gwinnett Braves (11-7) 11-1 Tuesday night in the first game outside the IL West for Columbus. The Clip Show had an offensive explosion scoring a season-high in runs highlighted by a four-run sixth when they sent nine batters to the plate.

The winning pitcher was Trevor Bauer (2-0, 0.96 ERA) who pitched six and two-thirds innings and allowed one run on six hits, struck out and walked three. He beat Daniel Rodriguez who only lasted five innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits while striking out five and walking four.

Columbus started quickly with a pair of runs aided by a couple of errors by Gwinnett in the first. With one out Justin Sellers and Nyjer Morgan hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third. With Jesus Aguilar at the plate Gwinnett catcher Christian Bethancourt threw behind Nyjer Morgan at first, but threw wide and allowed Sellers to score. With Morgan on second Aguilar singled to right, but Morgan would score as right fielder Joey Terdoslavic overran the ball. Gwinnett got in a run in the second, but that's as close as it would get with the Clippers scoring one in the second, two in the fourth, four in the sixth and two more in the eighth.

The big sixth inning was set up by a poor Luis Vasquez pitching performance. Vasquez was on in relief of Rodriguez and after striking out Matt Carson he walked the bases loaded. Morgan hit a double off the right field wall to score two and an Aguilar walk reloaded the bases. That was it for Vasquez as Atahualpa Severino came in. Severino gave up a two-run double to Bryan LaHair, one of two doubles for him, to make it a four-run inning.

In the game Aguilar and Roberto Perez extended their hitting streaks. Perez hit a two-run bomb to left in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to a team-high 11 games. Aguilar extended his hit streak to five with his single in the first. The hit also extended his season-long on base streak, matched by Jose Ramirez who walked and scored in the sixth. As a team six Clippers had multi-hit games.

The Clippers have three more with Gwinnett to end their eight-game home stand. Wednesday night will be a 6:35 p.m. first pitch and will feature T.J. House (1-1, 2.45 ERA) for Columbus against Mitch Atkins (1-2, 5.40 ERA) for Gwinnett.