(Story and photo courtesy the Augusta GreenJackets)
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Augusta GreenJackets could not start the bats early, and were staring down a six-run lead by the late innings that was too tall to handle in a 6-2 defeat Friday evening.
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers scored in the first inning for the second game in a row, taking a 1-0 lead off of Adam Maier without a ball leaving the infield. Chase Jaworsky started the frame with a swinging bunt that became an infield single, and advanced to second on a groundout to the pitcher. Oliver Carrillo bounced another ball back to Maier, who had a chance to catch Jaworsky advancing to third, but the throw was off-balance and it spiked past the third baseman, allowing Jaworsky to jog home for the first run of the night.
The GreenJackets proved unable to crack the code against Woodpecker righty Sandy Mejia, who had struggled all month but found command and an ability to strand runners against Augusta. The GreenJackets put men on in each of the first three innings, but could not score, in large part due to a defensive effort that was highlighted by left fielder Alejandro Nuñez firing a dart to home plate to cut down Drew Compton trying to score Augusta’s first run of the night.
Maier ran into trouble in the fourth, with the middle of the order stringing together good at bats in their second looks at the righty of the night. The first four batters of the inning reached base on two singles and two walks, with a blooper from Cesar Hernandez doubling the lead. With one out and the bases full, catcher Will Bush came to the plate in a chance to do damage. Bush had been struggling at the plate entering the week, but had been seeing the ball well, including his first homer of the year on Tuesday. Bush would add to that total and clear the bases in one swing, barreling a hanging changeup over the wall in right center field to make it a 6-0 game.
Augusta’s offense would remain quiet until the eighth, as Mejia and reliever Hudson Leach both diced through the batting order with relative ease. The GreenJackets would avoid their second straight shutout with two runs, scoring on a throwing error from Bush and on an RBI groundout from Drew Compton.
Wilmy Sanchez came on and got the final five outs of the game, and his arrival with two men on base meant that he earned his first save since 2022, and first in the USA. Augusta received four scoreless innings of relief from Adam Shoemaker, who kept the Woodpeckers at bay and attempted to provide the offense a chance to incite a comeback that never fully materialized.
Fayetteville will send 18-year-old Raimy Rodriguez, the youngest player on the roster, to the hill as the Woodpeckers go for a series win on a Saturday night at home. The GreenJackets will counter with 19-year-old Garrett Baumann, who is 3-1 on the year and leads the team in ERA at 2.03.
The GreenJackets will be back at home beginning June 4 for a six-game series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, whom they split a six-game road series with at the beginning of May. Key moments of the upcoming homestand include a Ronald Acuña Jr. Bobblehead Giveaway on Tuesday, and the 2024 debut of the Augusta Pimento Cheese alternate identity, with a new jersey inspired by the jumpsuits worn by caddies at The Masters, worn on the field Saturday with a subsequent jersey auction to benefit Ronald McDonald House of Augusta. Tickets and more info about all the exciting things happening at SRP Park can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com.
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