(Story courtesy the Augusta GreenJackets; photos by Mike Adams/Augusta Good News)
Featured image: Jordan Sprinkle of Kannapolis, right, slides in at second as the GreenJackets EJ Exposito, left, tries to make the tag in the second game of a doubleheader on May 28, 2023 at SRP Park. Mike Adams/Augusta Good News.
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets split a Sunday doubleheader with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, closing off the season series with a victory in front of a sold-out SRP Park. Augusta (23-22) was held to just one run in the first game, but scored four unanswered runs in the second game to defeat Kannapolis (23-21) for the ninth time in twelve games.
Seventeen year old Didier Fuentes got the start for the GreenJackets in the first game, and the young flamethrower ended up striking out a career-high six batters in four innings of work. After giving up a two-run home run to the second batter he faced, Fuentes did not allow another run to score, marking his second straight outing of four or more innings.
The GreenJackets struggled at the plate in game one, failing to record a hit until the bottom of the seventh inning. Down 3-0, Ethan Workinger broke up the combined no-hit bid, and he would score on a wild pitch to make it a 3-1 ballgame. With two runners aboard, Jeremy Celedonio struck out, and the GreenJackets fell just short of a comeback with a 3-1 loss.
In the second game, Braves No. 27 overall prospect Adam Shoemaker made his fifth start of the season. After allowing a solo homer to the second batter he faced, Shoemaker shut the door on Kannapolis, recording a career-high six strikeouts, just as Fuentes did in the first game.
The GreenJackets broke through in the bottom of the second. Batting with the bases loaded, Francisco Floyd drove home a run on a fielder’s choice. One batter later, Jair Casanova singled to right, driving in his league-high 20th run of the month of May, and Floyd scored on an error on the same play as Augusta took a 3-1 lead. The next inning, E.J. Exposito homered for the second time in the series to make it 4-1.
Shoemaker exited the game after the fourth inning, before Estarlin Rodriguez worked the fifth, allowing one run to score. Landon Harper picked up his fourth win of the season after working a scoreless sixth, and Elison Joseph earned his fifth save of the year by pitching a perfect seventh inning.
The GreenJackets head to Charleston, S.C. to take on the RiverDogs for six games, before returning home for a 12-game homestand where they will take on Myrtle Beach and Carolina.
A full promotional schedule for the series with Myrtle Beach will be announced Monday. To learn more or purchase tickets visit: https://www.milb.com/augusta/fans/gj-homestand-preview.
