(Story and photo courtesy the Augusta GreenJackets)
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C – The GreenJacket bats broke out in a big way at Segra Stadium Wednesday night, scoring early and often to provide more than the necessary cushion for starter Luis Vargas in a 9-4 victory.
All nine starters had found their way on base by the fourth inning, and eight of nine hitters had at least one hit as Augusta’s early lead was never threatened by the home side. The GreenJackets scored multiple runs in the second, third, and fourth, doing so again in the eighth to add insurance and cruise to a wire-to-wire victory.
Augusta scored first in the second inning off of starter Alonzo Tredwell thanks to the bottom of the order, as Joe Olsavsky and Harry Owen each muscled two out hits into the outfield to score a pair of runs and give the GreenJackets a two-run lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Three more runs came across in the 3rd on a wild pitch from Tredwell and a two-run single from Kade Kern that came off of the night’s first reliever, Dawill Almonte. A Drew Compton sacrifice fly and Will Verdung RBI single in the fourth gave the GreenJackets a lead that left little to the imagination early on.
While the offense impressed, Luis Vargas was dazzling in his own right on the mound, tossing a career-high 6.1 innings with just four hits allowed. Back to back doubles in the seventh sent Vargas to the dugout and Giomar Diaz in from the bullpen, with an E6 bringing home Diaz’s inherited runner and providing light momentum for Fayetteville that slightly dampened the excitement around Vargas’ big day.
In a 7-3 game that was suddenly leaning towards a comeback opportunity for the Woodpeckers, the offense went to work against reliever Abel Mercedes, who had barely escaped the seventh unharmed after two walks to start the game. Cam Magee poked a double to the opposite field, then advanced to third on a Kern fly ball. Olsavsky was then hit by a pitch and promptly stole second, placing an immediate threat on the shoulders of Mercedes. The young righty would crack under the pressure, allowing a pair of wild pitches to score both runners and return the lead for Augusta back to six.
Diaz settled in nicely in the final two frames, working a hitless eighth before allowing a late consolation run to come home on an Alberto Hernandez single that placed the final score at 9-4 for Augusta’s first win in two tries at Segra Stadium. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to last Thursday, and provided offensive optimism while simultaneously allowing a majority of the bullpen to rest, with Vargas and Diaz combining to record all 27 outs.
The GreenJackets send Davis Polo to the mound tomorrow, who has been hit hard at times but also received very little run support on the year, leading to a record of 1-4 in 7 games with his only win coming out of the bullpen. Fayetteville will counter with Yeriel Santos, who has strong strikeout numbers but has been burnt by walks on various occasions so far this season. The two clubs will take the field under the evening sun Thursday for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
The GreenJackets will be back at home beginning June 4 for a six-game series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, whom they split a six-game road series with at the beginning of May. Key moments of the upcoming homestand include a Ronald Acuña Jr. Bobblehead Giveaway on Tuesday, and the 2024 debut of the Augusta Pimento Cheese alternate identity, with a new jersey inspired by the jumpsuits worn by caddies at The Masters, worn on the field Saturday with a subsequent jersey auction to benefit Ronald McDonald House of Augusta. Tickets and more info about everything happening at SRP Park can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com.
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