(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets)
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets scored twice late to tie the game against the Delmarva Shorebirds, but a series of free passes were too much to overcome as the Birds stormed back and took a 7-3 win Saturday night.
For the third time this week, the Shorebirds (21-35) scored in the top of the first, getting to Zach Royse before he could settle in. Stiven Martinez hammered a one-out double to the gap, and one batter later, he came home on an RBI single from Edwin Amparo.
The GreenJackets (30-26) were held quiet early by Christian Rodriguez, but tied the game in the third thanks to the efforts of Cooper McMurray. With one out in the frame, McMurray bashed a two-strike fastball the other way for his second homer of the week, a solo shot to bring things equal at one.
After each starter tossed a scoreless fourth, fatigue began to set in for Zach Royse, and the Shorebirds pounced to take the lead. Miguel Rodriguez ripped a double to begin the frame, and took third on a double from Juan Ortega. Both men would come home on the very next hitter, as Braylon Whitaker roped a two-run double the other way to regain the lead.
It was in the seventh that Augusta showed its best rally, chasing Rodriguez after one hitter in his first trip into the seventh as a pro. A single and hit by pitch off of Adrian Heredia would load the bags with one out, before Cody Miller poked a fielder’s choice to bring Augusta within one. Heredia lost his command and walked back-to-back men to score the tying run, but evaded further damage as Luis Guanipa’s rocket line drive was ran down in center to end the frame.
The Shorebirds retaliated immediately, and used a series of walks and hit by pitches from Luis Arestigueta to regain the lead in the very next frame. Arestigueta walked the first man he saw and hit the next, before a bouncing single from Raylin Ramos gave Delmarva the lead. Arestigueta walked the next man before being lifted, and Styven Paez allowed a big hit to Martinez that cleared the bases and put the game out of reach.
Augusta was unable to retaliate in the eighth or ninth, and the Shorebirds secured their second series win of the season with a season-high four-game win streak. Delmarva will play just one more game in Augusta this summer, a 2:05 p.m. matinee Sunday as the Shorebirds try to take five of six from the sliding GreenJackets.
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