(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets)
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets (9-3, 44-34) scored nine runs in the first five innings of the game, but a ten-run stretch over four innings for the Salem RidgeYaks (5-7, 30-47) enabled them to come back and pull away for their first win of the week on Thursday.
Augusta’s offense was riddled with strong performances, but none were stronger than Luis Guanipa. The Carolina League’s leader in batting average and RBIs added to both totals, knocking a pair of hits and picking up a career-high 5 RBIs in the process. Guanipa hammered a three-run double to highlight a six-run second inning, and picked up two more on a base hit in the bottom of the 5th.
The Jackets led 6-1 after the second, but a continuous offensive attack from Salem meant that no lead was safe over the course of the night. All nine RidgeYak starters reached base safely multiple times, led by a magical day at the plate from Adonys Guzman. Guzman began the comeback with a two-run blast off of Jeremy Reyes in the third, but also had a single, walk, hit by pitch, and sac fly in his first start of the week.
The Yaks worked all the way back to tie the game in the top of the fifth, before Augusta pushed back and reclaimed the lead against Brady Tygert. Tygert allowed three walks and two hits in the inning, giving up a bases loaded walk to Matt Scannell before Guanipa’s RBI knock pushed the lead up to three. Augusta entered the back half of the game with momentum, but watched it evaporate almost immediately.
Salem’s resilience shone through in the late innings, as they scored ten runs in succession against the combo of Kade Woods, Kendy Richard, and Styven Paez. Woods allowed the tying run to reach base in the top of the 6th, but it was Richard who gave up the crippling blow, a powerful three-run homer the other way by Skylar King to secure a lead Salem would not give up.
The Yaks added on in the final two frames for six more against Richard and Paez to pull away, leaving Augusta too far behind to mount a comeback. Alex Lodise did provide a nice moment in the bottom of the ninth with his team-leading 16th home run of the year, but Augusta was unable to close the gap as they allowed the most runs given up in a single game this year. The loss brings the four-game win streak to a close, and also happened to be the longest game by time in the 2026 season for either team.
Friday kicks off SRP Park’s Independence Day Celebration, with three straight days of fireworks and exciting moments lined up. On the field, two starters searching for success square off as Landon Beidelschies and Christian Foutch each look to right the ship and keep the opposing offense more in check than either one was tonight.
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