(Featured photo of Didier Fuentes by Mike Adams/Augusta Good News)
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Augusta GreenJackets rebounded from Saturday’s loss with an offense-filled Sunday matinee against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.
Kannapolis (13-12) battled back from multi-run deficits three times, but Augusta (12-14) proved resilient and used late hitting to take the game, according to a GreenJackets’ press release.
The GreenJackets scored a season-high three runs in the top of the first. Jair Casanova drew a bases-loaded walk and E.J. Exposito singled home a pair to give Augusta the early lead. The GreenJackets tacked on two more runs in the third, after David McCabe hit his third homer of the year and Jair Casanova tripled in a run.
GreenJackets starter Didier Fuentes was chased from the game in the bottom of the third after giving up five runs, leading the game to a tie after three. The GreenJackets retook the lead in the fifth, with RBI singles from Exposito and Mahki Backstrom. However, a two-run homer off of Jared Johnson (W, 2-1) in the bottom of the seventh saw the game tied again at 7-7.
In the top of the eighth, Exposito singled off of Kade Mechals (L, 0-1), before advancing to third and then scoring on a sacrifice fly from Tyler Collins. The 8-7 score held with Landon Harper (S, 1) entering in the bottom of the eighth and retiring all six batters he faced, including four strikeouts. The GreenJackets take five of six from Kannapolis and return home to Augusta with a series win.
The GreenJackets will take on the Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays) starting Tuesday. The series with Charleston will include an Education Day Game presented by SRNS, a STEM T-Shirt Giveaway presented by Aiken Technical College, and more.
