Martinez, Clippers cruise past Braves 5-2

For the second straight night, Columbus got a win against Gwinnett as they bested the Braves 5-2. 

Lonnie Chisenhall and Chun Chen continued their torrid offensive stretches as they staked the Clippers to an early lead. Chisenhall got Columbus on the board with an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the first. Chen later doubled that advantage with a solo homer, his fifth this season with the Clippers, in the top of the second.

 Later on in the second, Ezequiel Carrera drove home Tim Fedroff with an RBI double and Matt Carson drove home a run with an RBI single, augmenting the Clippers lead to 4-0.

Gwinnett finally got on the board in the third with a Tyler Pastornicky RBI infield single, but Columbus' Matt Lawson got that run back with an RBI double in the fourth. The Braves later got another run on the scoreboard with a Joey Terdoslavich solo homer in the bottom of the sixth.

Joe Martinez (W, 2-5) was sharp on the mound for the Clippers, giving up two runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out six and walking not one batter in 6 1/3 innings. David Hale (L, 1-3) took the loss for the Braves. Jerry Gil (S, 2) tallied the save for Columbus. 

The Clippers and Braves will conclude their four game series tomorrow afternoon at CoolRay Field. Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2, 3.92) returns to the mound for Columbus. The Braves will go with righty Omar Poveda (4-3, 3.24). First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 PM.