(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets)
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The GreenJackets left a dozen men on base and watched the Pelicans push three runs across in the bottom of the seventh inning to create an insurmountable lead in a 5-2 loss June 10..
The seventh inning was a microcosm of Augusta’s offense as of late, as the Jackets set the table for a big inning before falling short in the big spot. Dallas Macias led off the frame with a solo homer, breaking the shutout bid and cutting the lead to 2-1. The Jackets (31-28) then used a walk, catcher’s interference, and error to load the bases with just one out. But with the tying run at third, Hayden Frank forced Juan Mateo to tap a dribbler off of home that turned into an inning-ending double play.
After watching their momentum deflate in the top half, the Jackets were then bludgeoned in the bottom, as Kade Woods allowed four straight hits and three runs to begin the frame and push the lead to 5-2. Myrtle Beach (22-35) got a big push from the bottom of its order, and ended their eight-game losing streak.
Ethan Bagwell takes the losing decision on the night, but it was still a strong performance for the young hurler. Despite not having his best stuff, Bagwell fought through 4.1 innings while totaling eight strikeouts. The lone blemish on his line came in the second, when a bloop double from Jairo Diaz and a subsequent throwing error plated two men for an early Pelicans lead.
For the second night in a row, the GreenJackets did offer valiant effort in the ninth inning, as they put the tying run at the plate against reliever Sam Mettert. Mettert began the frame with a walk, and a two-out walk was followed by a Luis Guanipa single that scored a man and brought Mateo to the plate as the game-tying batter. But Mateo was punched out by Mettert, and the Jackets ended the game 1-10 with men in scoring position.
The GreenJackets have now dropped six of their last seven games, and have fallen to three games out of first place with just seven games remaining in the first half. Augusta will need a short memory as they return to play tomorrow night, with Derek Vartanian throwing against Noah Edders, who was injured and did not throw when the GreenJackets last came to Myrtle Beach.
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