(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets. File photo by Mike Adams)
SALEM, Va. – The Augusta GreenJackets won their third straight game over the Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox), capitalizing on four Salem errors in a 5-3 win.
Salem (18-24, 48-57) left the bases loaded twice in the late stages, while Augusta (20-22, 51-56) got scoreless outings from Estarlin Rodriguez and Zack Austin while Shay Shanaman picked up his first professional save.
The GreenJackets entered the contest knowing that they needed to win to break a stretch of five straight series without a victory. The bats started off hot, as the ‘Jackets jumped on Salem starter Jedixon Paez for four runs in the first three innings. Pier-Olivier Boucher and Nick Clarno each drove in runs, with two additional runs scoring on Salem errors.
Meanwhile, Lucas Braun made his second Augusta start, and picked up where he left off after three scoreless innings in his debut. Braun allowed just three hits while striking out seven. Augusta continued to reach base at a speedy clip, with every GreenJacket player having at least one trip aboard by the fifth inning. In the top of the fifth, the third Salem error of the day brought home Augusta’s fifth run on a an attempted double steal which turned into yet another Red Sox defensive miscue. Braun’s outing ended with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, with Augusta on top 5-0.
Seth Keller was Braun’s replacement, and after finishing off the fifth the righty worked into trouble in the next frame. Keller would give up two hits but walk three and hit one, with three runs coming across the plate to bring the score to 5-3. Estarlin Rodriguez entered with the bases loaded and two men out in the sixth, but would fan Albert Feliz looking to escape the jam.
Augusta remained scoreless against Salem reliever Noah Dean, while Rodriguez finished the seventh inning and handed the ball over to Zack Austin. The new addition to the roster gave up two walks and a hit to load the bases, but two strikeouts and a pickoff move once again escaped a bases-loaded jam. Shay Schanaman entered with a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth, and did not surrender a hit while recording his first professional save.
The GreenJackets took the series four games to two, and the three straight wins also matches their longest such streak of the second half of the campaign. Next up are six games against the high-octane FredNats, who have lost four in a row while scoring six or more runs in each game.
Augusta remains on the road during this two-week trip to the commonwealth of Virginia to take on the Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals), before returning home for the final 12 games at SRP Park this year! Don’t miss out on your final chance to see the 2023 GreenJackets in action! To purchase tickets and learn more about the upcoming promotions, games, and more, visit https://www.milb.com/augusta/fans/gj-homestand-preview.
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