(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets. File photo by Mike Adams/Augusta Good News)
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets had their bats fall limp, as the Columbia Fireflies closed out the season series between the rivals with a 5-2 Sunday win at SRP Park.
Columbia (18-18, 53-48) scored the final five runs in the game, while Augusta (16-20, 47-54) got strong pitching from Lucas Braun in his debut but could not muster up enough baserunners on the afternoon.
The Atlanta Braves’ 2023 sixth-round pick Braun (CSU-Northridge) toed the rubber for his affiliated baseball debut, and started out strong. The former Matador retired the side in order in the first before keeping the Fireflies off the scoreboard in the second and third, giving up two hits while striking out one batter.
Augusta pushed across two runs in the bottom of the third. Tyler Collins singled and stole second, before he scored on a throwing error by Lizandro Rodriguez that brought E.J. Exposito to third. A wild pitch from Columbia starter Mauricio Veliz scored Exposito to give Augusta a 2-0 lead.
However, that would be the extent of the offense for the GreenJackets, as the Fireflies then rattled off five straight runs. Columbia brought home four in the fourth off of Seth Keller, before Chad Bryant entered to stem the flow of runs. The Fireflies scored once more off of Nolan Martinez in the seventh, and that would be all she wrote. Giomar Diaz worked two scoreless innings in relief, striking out four, but Augusta was limited to just four hits on the day and held without an RBI. Drew Compton continued his strong start, singling to reach for the fifth straight game since debuting Wednesday.
Augusta heads on the road for a two-week trip to the commonwealth of Virginia to take on the Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) and Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals), before returning home for the final 12 games at SRP Park this year Don’t miss out on your final chance to see the 2023 GreenJackets in action. To purchase tickets and learn more about the upcoming promotions, games, and more, visit https://www.milb.com/augusta/fans/gj-homestand-preview.
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