Plutko Dominates Gwinnett to Clinch Series
May 17, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Columbus Clippers News Release
Just as they did for the win yesterday, the Columbus Clippers took advantage of strong pitching and Gwinnett's defensive mistakes, helping them to a 6-1 victory.
With the win, the Clippers clinched the series, having won each of the first two of a three-game set.
Gwinnett scored their lone run off Clippers starter Adam Plutko (4-3) in the second inning on a solo homerun from Carlos Franco. Plutko settled in, to say the least, after that.
Before his day was done, Plutko's offense gave him a 2-1 lead in the fourth and added two more in the fifth.
Eric Haase led off with a hustle double in the fourth inning and scored on a pickoff attempt gone wrong from Stripers starter Lucas Sims (2-2). With a runner on third, Nellie Rodriguez then grounded to short, where Sean Kazmar Jr. couldn't handle the baseball, giving the Clippers another run and a 2-1 lead.
Chris Tremie's squad added two more in the fifth when Melky Cabrera laced a RBI single to right and Richie Shaffer grounded to second base. Phil Gosselin fielded, but bounced the throw to first, allowing Columbus to extend the lead to 4-1.
Meanwhile, Plutko didn't allow another hit until the sixth inning, and even then, he left the runner stranded. He would be done after that, finishing his day with an even six innings tossed in which he allowed just one run on two hits. He didn't walk anyone and struck out eight.
The Clippers tacked on another run when a Haase fly ball to right got lost in the twilight sky, eventually dropping for a RBI single. Soon after that, Rodriguez stroked a fly ball deep to left, sacrificing another run home for a 6-1 advantage.
Jordan Milbrath pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the win for Columbus.
The squads will play game three tomorrow at Huntington Park with first pitch scheduled for 11:05 a.m.
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