(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets)
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers scored eight runs in the final three innings to tilt the score unevenly as a pitchers’ duel quickly became a rout against the Augusta GreenJackets Sunday at SRP Park.
With a strong crowd gathered in to enjoy the warm weather and promise of postgame fireworks on Memorial Day Weekend, the two sides traded early jabs and scored one apiece in the first inning. Rikuu Nishida began the day against Augusta starter Cade Kuehler with a triple, then trotted home one pitch later on an Albertson Asigen ground ball to give the Cannon Ballers an early lead. Augusta would match the run in the bottom half against Lucas Gordon, with Drew Compton roping a line drive base hit with two outs and then scoring on a Will Verdung double to straightaway center field.
The Cannon Ballers retook the lead in the top of the second and never looked back, with strong pitching and late offense carrying the day. Arxy Hernandez saw a hanging splitter with two strikes and two outs and did not miss it, crushing his second home run of the season 400-plus feet to left center field. Kuehler would post back to back scoreless frames after that, but a high pitch count from the early innings lifted him as the losing pitcher following four innings.
Augusta would not crack the code against Lucas Gordon for the rest of the day, as the former Texas Longhorn worked a career-high seven innings and did not allow a run after the first. Gordon scattered four hits across seven frames and struck out five, earning his second win of the season. In the final three frames of the ballgame, Kannapolis’ offense would find the fighting spirit that has defined their rise to the top of the Carolina League’s South Division, scoring eight runs in the final two innings off four relievers.
Cory Wall allowed a run in three innings in his return to SRP Park after throwing for Rome to start the year, while Juan Sanchez allowed three runs in less than an inning in his first career game at the single-A level. Four more came across in the ninth against Dilone to ensure a lead well beyond what the GreenJackets could overcome. On the opposite side, after Gordon went seven strong, lefty Tommy Vail worked a hitless eighth and ninth to seal the fifth victory in six tries this week for the Cannon Ballers.
Kannapolis will not be off tomorrow, as they will utilize the holiday to play a rare Monday game, hosting the Columbia Fireflies at the start of a vital series between the top two teams in the division. The Ballers will be off Tuesday before concluding the week’s series from Wednesday to Sunday.
The GreenJackets do get to enjoy a much-needed day off, and will then head across the Carolina border to see the Fayetteville Woodpeckers for the only time at Segra Stadium this year on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. The ‘Jackets will next be at home June 4-9, hosting the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
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