The push to the playoffs continues for the Columbus Clippers. On Wednesday and Thursday against the St. Paul Saints, they had to rally in the late innings to win. That was not the case Friday. The Clippers got outstanding performances from their starter, Doug Nikhazy, their bullpen, and their offense throughout the lineup in an 11-1 thrashing of the Saints.

St. Paul scored their only run of the game in the first inning. A single and a double led to the score, but a timely double play started by outfielder Myles Straw ended the threat. The Columbus pitching staff would allow only three more hits and two walks on the night, while fanning 10.

Meanwhile the Clippers’ hitters posted 14 hits, including Johnathan Rodriguez’s team-leading 26th home run of the season. Rodriguez finished the night with three RBIs, giving him 86 total, also tops on the club. Both Straw and Bryan Lavastida knocked in two runs for Columbus Friday.

The Clippers scored two runs in the fourth inning, three in the fifth, ans six in the sixth to put the game away. Nikhazy (6-3) picked up the win, while St. Paul starter Aaron Rozek (1-6) was charged with the loss. Columbus relievers James Karinchak and Nick Mikolajchak threw a combined three shutout innings.

With the win, the Clippers are now three games ahead of Indianapolis, who won their sixth game in a row Friday, and three and a half games in front of Worcester with eight games to play. The winner of the International League’s second half will play at Omaha, the first half winner, in a best of three game series Sept. 24-26.

Columbus and St. Paul play the fifth of their six-game series Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Lefty Logan Allen (3-3) will take the hill for the Clippers, while Travis Adams (0-0) will make his third Triple-A start for the Saints.