Williams wields big stick for Catfish

Williams went a career-best 5-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored Saturday, helping the Columbus Catfish roll to a 9-1 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

The 24-year-old son of former Major League manager Jimy Williams had totaled six hits in his first 10 games of the season. But he began his big night with a double during Columbus' four-run first inning. He was hit by a pitch in the second, ripped RBI singles in the third and fifth and delivered base hits in the seventh and ninth to pace a 15-hit attack.

"It was just one of those nights," said the product of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "Honestly, it hasn't really hit me yet. I'm really excited. It's the first [five-hit game] ever for me and we won the game, so that's great."

Selected in the 35th round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft by the Houston Astros, who were managed by his dad at the time, Williams opted to complete his education before beating the bushes for the independent league Fort Worth Cats in 2006.

The Tampa Bay Rays signed him as a free agent two years ago, and he combined to hit .212 with 16 RBIs in 41 games for short-season Hudson Valley and Class A Advanced Vero Beach in 2007.

Williams, a native of Salt Lake City, admitted he was looking forward to sharing the good news with his father, who is serving as the Philadelphia Phillies bench coach.

"They're actually [in San Francisco], so I'll wait to call him later on and let him know," said Williams, who has played catcher, left field, first base and served as the Catfish's designated hitter this season.

"I've done just about everything to help the team."

He helped boost his batting average Saturday as it climbed 124 points to .355.

Emeel Salem had three hits and three runs scored and Gregory Sexton and Stephen Vogt each contributed two RBIs for Columbus (16-20).

Catfish starter Brian Flores (2-1) allowed one run on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over five innings before Jesse Darcy and Jose Angel Mejias combined for four hitless frames.

Brock Bond singled in the third to extend his hitting streak to 19 games and Andrew Davis ripped an RBI double in the fourth for the GreenJackets (20-17).

Augusta starter Steven Calicutt (2-2) surrendered five runs on six hits and a walk in two innings.