(Story courtesy Augusta GreenJackets. File photo by Mike Adams/Augusta Good News)
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) used Cam Magee’s first professional home run to take Friday’s game against the Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals). Columbia (16-17, 51-47) took an early lead in the first, but Augusta (15-17, 46-51) scored two runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to take an eventual 6-2 decision on a beautiful North Augusta evening.
Owen Murphy got the start for Augusta, looking to shake off an up-and-down month of July. At first, the Fireflies seemed poised to pile on the hurt, with Austin Charles notching an RBI double with one out in the first inning. Murphy rebounded well, though, and proceeded to strike out six of the next nine men he faced, retiring them all in order.
With the score still 1-0 Fireflies in the bottom of the fourth, Drew Compton worked a walk, before Cam Magee sent a long ball into the Savannah River for his first GreenJackets hit. Augusta took the lead 2-1 on Magee’s blast and never looked back, adding two runs in each of the next two innings. In the fifth, Jace Grady picked up his first Augusta RBI with a double off the center field wall, before an error brought him home one batter later. In the sixth, E.J. Exposito delivered a sacrifice fly to bring in a run, before Jair Casanova beat out an infield single to score Cody Acton to make it a 6-1 game.
Landon Harper relieved Owen Murphy after five innings and pitched a scoreless sixth, although he did allow one run in the seventh to make it a 6-2 game. Jared Johnson pitched a scoreless and hitless eighth and ninth, fanning four men in the process to secure the victory. Other notable performances included Cody Acton, who walked twice and stole four bases, bringing him up to 19 on the year. The 15 combined strikeouts for Augusta’s pitchers match their season high.
Saturday is a doubleheader at SRP Park, with Samuel Strickland slated to start game one at 5:35 p.m., and Hurston Waldrep set to debut as the game two starter. Join Augusta for post-game fireworks and 14 innings of fun Saturday.
Augusta remains home this week for three more action-filled games with the Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals). Braves 2023 first round pick Hurston Waldrep will make his debut Saturday. Don’t miss out on giveaways, fireworks, and more! To purchase tickets and learn more about the week’s homestand, visit https://www.milb.com/augusta/fans/gj-homestand-preview.).
Subscribe to the Augusta Good News newsletter here.
Support local journalism: Local stories on local people, organizations and events. That’s the focus of Augusta Good News. And you don’t have to go through a paywall to find these stories. An independent voice in Augusta, Ga., Augusta Good News is not funded by a billionaire or a large corporation; it doesn’t have celebrity reporters who have agents. It’s local women and men who are invested in the community and want to tell its stories. You can support local journalism and help us expand our coverage by becoming a supporter. Through Ko-Fi, you can give once or set up a monthly gift. Click here to learn more. Thank you!
