(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets)
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – : The Augusta GreenJackets (13-9, 48-40) were held hitless with men in scoring position, unable to capitalize on chances as they dropped the first of three games to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (11-10, 43-43) by a final of 3-2 Friday night.
After being shut out in the series finale last Sunday against Hickory, the GreenJacket offense faced similar difficulty tonight, unable to solve any of the five pitchers used by Fayetteville during the game. Both of Augusta’s hits came in the fifth inning, and neither one went for extra bases in a quiet night.
Landon Beidelschies faced adversity early in the game, but fought valiantly to push through 3.2 innings on the mound for Augusta. The Woodpeckers scored twice in the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly and a bases loaded hit by pitch, but did not get back on the board in the next five innings.
The Jackets created chances in the middle frames thanks in large part to their patience, using a series of walks from the bullpen to get on the board. Augusta used its only two hits and a walk to load the bases in the 5th against Jagger Beck, before a wild pitch brought home a run. Even with the tying run at third, though, Beck picked up back-to-back Ks to keep Fayetteville in front.
The seventh inning was oddly similar to the fifth, as again it was free bases that gave Augusta an opening. Rafael Gonzalez, after retiring two men quickly, walked three straight batters to load the bases before another wild pitch tied the game. Yet despite another walk that reloaded the bases, Gonzalez was able to wiggle out of danger on an inning-ending groundball to stay even.
Augusta’s good fortune ended in the bottom of the inning, as the Woodpeckers manufactured the winning run through the baserunning aggression that has defined their season. German Ramirez began the inning with a single off of Luis Arestigueta, and promptly stole both second and third. Arestigueta got to two outs, before Kendy Richard came in from the pen and immediately gave up an RBI single to Arturo Flores to put the Woodpeckers back in front.
The Jackets mustered little resistance in the final two innings, and succumbed to defeat for the fourth consecutive game. The offense now does not have an RBI hit in its last 18 innings, and to make matters worse, watched leadoff man Luis Guanipa leave today’s game with the athletic training staff early on and not return. There are still two more games left in Fayetteville this weekend, and Augusta will try to turn things around Saturday night against the Woodpeckers.
