Every game is important for the Columbus Clippers in their effort to make the International League playoffs. Coming into Sunday’s contest with the St. Paul Saints at Huntington Park, they had seven games remaining and were in first place in the IL’s second half. On Sunday, the Clippers fell behind early but rallied for a 5-2 win.

The Saints scored single runs in the first and second innings off Columbus starter Will Dion. Dion worked 4.1 innings, allowing the two scores on three hits and five walks, striking out five. After that, the bullpen shut St. Paul down. Triston McKenzie, Zak Kent, and James Karinchak combined for 4.2 shutout innings and allowed only two hits.

The Clippers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on Johnathan Rodriguez’s three-run homer. It was his 28th long ball of the season, second best in the League. He leads the IL in runs batted in with 92. With runners on base, Rodriguez is atop the League in average (.336), hits (74), home runs (16), and RBIs (78).

Columbus added two runs in the seventh when Myles Straw singled to knock in Micah Pries and Raynel Delgado, both of whom had singled earlier in the inning. McKenzie (4-4) earned the win in a rare relief appearance, while Karinchak picked up his first save of the season. The loss went to St. Paul starter Randy Dobnak (12-7).

With the victory, the Clippers are four and a half games in front of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Worcester, five in front of Indianapolis. Columbus heads to Toledo Tuesday to begin a six-game series against the Mud Hens. All four teams in contention for the final playoff berth will be on the road for their last matchups of the regular season.

Tuesday’s contest between Columbus and Toledo is set to begin at 6:35 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. Ryan Webb (2-0) will take the hill for Columbus.