(Story courtesy Noah Adcock-Howeth, Augusta GreenJackets)
SALEM, Va. – Red Sox hitters clubbed five hits and scored six runs in their final two at bats, taking and extending a lead they would not relinquish for a 7-1 victory over the GreenJackets in the final game of the season’s first half June 20.
With the Sox needing a win to ensure they finished over .500 in the half, Salem struck first in the third inning. After being held without a baserunner in the first two innings by Davis Polo, Andy Lugo stung a leadoff double into the corner, scoring three batters later on an RBI double off the wall from Nazzan Zanetello.
The GreenJackets had very little offensive fanfare all evening, but answered the bell to tie the game in the very next half inning against starter JoJo Ingrassia. The lefty watched the bases load up via a hit by pitch, error, and walk with two outs. Facing Jacob Godman and trying to leave the bags full, Ingrassia spiked a two-strike changeup off the catcher’s shin guard, scoring Will Verdung to tie the contest. Godman would punch out on the next pitch, leaving two men in scoring position.
After the fourth, the offenses returned to their silence. Both teams turned it over to their bullpen, and Giomar Diaz and Connor Steinbaugh both cruised the fifth and sixth. After Steinbaugh stymied the Jackets in the top of the seventh, the Sox took control in the bottom half. Salem put men at first and third with two outs, and Fraymi De Leon golfed a two-strike changeup out to center for a sac fly that put the home side in front. One batter later, Andy Feliz launched the first homer of the week, a two run blast deep into the trees beyond left field to give Salem a 4-1 lead.
The Sox would double their lead in the eighth with three more runs, this time off of reliever Beau Philip. RBIs from Freili Encarnacion and Natanael Yuten, along with a run scoring error, pushed Augusta’s deficit to six, a number they could not recover from. Closer CJ Weins worked a scoreless 8th and 9th to keep the Jackets at bay and hand Salem their second win in three games.
With today’s conclusion, the first half of the season officially comes to a close. The Carolina Mudcats and Kannapolis Cannon Ballers finish as the winners of the North and South divisions respectively, and clinch automatic berths to the divisional round of the Carolina League playoffs in September. Each team’s record resets to 0-0 for the second half, meaning the GreenJackets have a clean slate with which to begin their attempt at ascendency to grab the final playoff slot in the back portion of the season. Adam Maier takes the ball Friday looking to begin the half on the right foot.
The GreenJackets will be back at home beginning Tuesday, June 25 for a six-game series against the Charleston RiverDogs, who they host for the second time this season. Key moments of the upcoming homestand include Pickleball Night, Faith & Family Night and Pirates of the Savannah River Night. Tickets and more info about all the things happening at SRP Park can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com.
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