(Story courtesy Noah Adcock-Howeth, Augusta GreenJackets)
SALEM, Va. – Energy remained low throughout Sunday’s game, but Augusta’s offense provided just enough excitement to pull ahead of the Red Sox late in a 2-1 contest to close the season series.
Starting pitchers Matt Duffy and Cade Kuehler both allowed at least one baserunner in each of their first four innings, but held firm in critical moments to post zeroes in each frame. Duffy would be lifted after four, with long at bats running his pitch count up around 80, while Kuehler battled into the fifth.
The GreenJackets scored first for the third consecutive game, getting offense from an unlikely source. Kade Kern was not in the starting lineup, but came in as a defensive sub for Isaiah Drake in the bottom of the second. After doubling off the fence in the third, Kern stepped in against reliever Danny Kirwin with two outs and laced a line drive into the breeze blowing out to left, which carried the ball up and over the high walls of Salem Memorial Ballpark for Augusta’s first homer of the week.
Salem once again answered immediately, with Juan Montero leading off the bottom of the 5th with a single and then scoring one batter later when Nazzan Zanetello doubled off the wall in left. Kuehler would buckle down and retire the next three batters, finishing his day with five innings of one-run ball and having given his team a solid chance to produce.
Neither side would add on in the next two innings, as Kirwin and Will Silva both posted back to back zeroes. The Sox turned the ball over to CJ Weins for the eighth, and Augusta attacked the righty in his second appearance of the week. Will Verdung cracked a one-out double to center field, advancing to third on a wild pitch. After Cam Magee walked, Jeremy Celedonio launched a two-strike fastball to center for a sacrifice fly, plating Verdung and handing the GreenJackets the lead.
Wynston Sawyer entrusted the end of the game to reliever Reibyn Corona, who has had an up and down season but earned his first professional seven days ago in Lynchburg. Corona allowed a baserunner in both the eighth and ninth innings, but never wavered in his confidence, stranding the tying run at second in the eighth with a groundout to short from Montero to end the ballgame.
Silva’s perfect sixth and seventh granted him the winning decision, his first of the season and first since August 2022. Weins took his second loss of the year after picking up his third save earlier in the week, while Corona latched onto his second save in as many appearances with a scoreless two innings of work to conclude the longest road trip of the year.
The GreenJackets will be back at home beginning Tuesday for a six-game series against the Charleston RiverDogs, who they host for the second time this season. Key moments of the upcoming homestand include Pickleball Night, Faith & Family Night and Pirates of the Savannah River Night. Tickets and more info about all the things happening at SRP Park can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com.
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