Rodriguez’s three-run homer sparks Clippers

Ronny Rodriguez hit a three-run homer in the first inning to lead the Columbus Clippers to a 9-3 victory over the Gwinnett Braves on Sunday afternoon before 9,370 at Huntington Park.

The victory was the Clippers' fourth in a row and gave them a sweep of the threegame series.

Braves starter Patrick Weigel (3-2) loaded the bases with none out in the first inning on a walk, hit batter and single. RBI singles by Richie Shaffer and Eric Stamets put the Clippers ahead 2-0 before the first out was recorded. Mike Papi lifted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Chris Colabello for a 3-0 lead. With two outs, Rodriguez hit a three-run homer to left to make it 6-0. It was Rodriguez's fifth homer of the season.

Richie Shaffer followed a walk by Brandon Guyer with a homer that made it 8-0 in the second. It was Shaffer's 16th homer of the season.

The Braves cut it to 6-3 in the fourth against Clippers starter Chris Narveson on a two-run single by Ozzie Albies and a run-scoring hit by Carlos Franco.

Guyer, playing on a rehab assignment from the Cleveland Indians, hit a solo homer off Weigel in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-3.

Narveson (1-4) pitched 5 innings, allowing three runs — one earned — on six hits and two walks. He struck out two.

Jeff Johnson pitched 1 innings and David Speer and Joe Colon each pitched one inning to close out the victory.