NORTH AUGUSTA – The GreenJackets created plenty of chances late in the game, but could not close out the deficit in a 5-4 loss that allowed the Woodpeckers to split the series at three wins apiece.
Augusta would score first for the third time this week, posting three runs in the third and sending eight men to the plate for an early lead against Sandy Mejia. The third began with back to back singles from Willmer De La Cruz and Austin Machado at the bottom of the order to set the table. John Gil cranked a double into the corner to open the scoring, then scored along with Machado on Junior Garcia’s two-run single to post the only three runs Augusta would score against Mejia in four innings.
The GreenJackets’ early highlight came on the mound, as starter Jacob Shafer thrived in limited time in his home debut. The 17th-rounder out of UNC Wilmington was placed on a tight pitch count due to heavy workload this spring with the Seahawks, but made the most of his allotment. Shafer struck out six hitters in 3.2 innings, allowing a hit and a walk but no runs on the day.
Fayetteville took advantage of Shafer’s departure, attacking reliever David Rodriguez in his first full inning of relief. Each of the first three batters reached in the fifth, and all three would score to tie the game. Will Bush roped an RBI double, Rabel Colon had a sac fly, and Drew Vogel sliced a single through the hole for the three run-scoring hits of the inning.
Fayetteville took the lead in the seventh on the last batter Rodriguez faced, ending his day while simultaneously handing him his third straight losing decision. With two outs and a man at first, Wynston Sawyer opted to leave Rodriguez in to face lefty Joseph Sullivan rather than go to the lefty Jacob Kroeger who was ready in the pen. Sullivan made Augusta pay for the choice, hammering a center-cut fastball to the wall in left-center to score Max Holy and put the birds in front. Kroeger came in one batter later, and would allow an insurance run in the eighth, but the damage was already done.
The GreenJacket offense created chances often against the bullpen, but were unable to unlock the winning formula down the stretch. The Jackets put men at first and third with one out against Abel Mercedes, but Mercedes induced a 4-6-3 double play from Isaiah Drake thanks to a brilliant turn up the middle by Drew Vogel.
The final 12 outs were recorded by Juan Nunez, bouncing back from making the start in the series opener on Tuesday. Nunez bent but remained unbroken, doing his best work in the toughest spots. The GreenJackets had men at second and third in the seventh with two outs, but Pat Clohisy lined out to the warning track to keep Fayetteville in front. Augusta would load the bases with two outs in the eighth, and Luis Guanipa drew a walk to bring Augusta within a run, but John Gil popped up the first pitch he saw to leave three on base. Nunez went 1-2-3 through the ninth, and garnered his first Single-A win.
Both teams will take a day off tomorrow, then the GreenJackets head on the road to Zebulon, North Carolina, to face the Carolina Mudcats for the first time since April. Augusta has just one homestand left this year, playing seven games in six days beginning Tuesday, Aug. 27, against the Columbia Fireflies. Fayetteville returns home to Segra Stadium Tuesday, hosting the playoff-bound Kannapolis Cannon Ballers for a six-game set.
