The Clippers got a pair of three-run home runs Saturday night and coasted to an 12-7 victory over the Pawtucket Red Sox on a hot night in downtown Columbus, putting them a season-best 22 games over the .500 mark.
Columbus got on the board in the first inning, when Wes Hodges singled home Luis Valbuena. In the second, Valbuena unloaded the first of the three-run blasts, to the short porch in right field. Valbuena would finish the night with a career-best five hits.
After Pawtucket got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, Josh Rodriguez made it a 7-1 game with a three-run homer to left-center.
With plenty of run support, David Huff went seven innings for the Clippers, striking out five and allowing just three runs on 11 hits. After the single run in the top of the fourth, Huff allowed a pair to score on a Mike Lowell double in the fifth.
Columbus added four runs in the sixth to make it 11-3, getting a bases-loaded walk and then a bases-clearing double from Ezequiel Carrera. Down by eight, Gustavo Molina's three-run home run in the eighth off of Zach Putnam did little harm. The Clippers then added a run in their half of the frame, on a Lou Marson double, before the PawSox capped the scoring with one of their own in the ninth.
In all, Columbus pounded out 18 hits, including eight for extra bases. Their offensive fireworks were almost as good as the first-ever fireworks display, which followed the game at Huntington Park.
The Clippers and PawSox return to the ballpark Sunday afternoon for a 5:05 start, with Carlos Carrasco (9-4, 3.98) slated to get the ball for Columbus against righty Mark Hollimon (0-1, 3.00).
