Exposito’s Three RBI Night, Schanaman’s Perfect Debut Ends With Salem Win

*Exposito’s Three RBI Night, Schanaman’s Perfect Debut Ends With Salem Win
*Augusta coughs up three leads as Red Sox regain series edge 2-1

*Salem, VA* – The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) blew three separate leads to the Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) on Thursday, falling by a score of 9-8. Salem (18-21, 48-54) used a three-run eighth to take the lead for good, while Augusta (17-22, 48-56) put up runs in six separate innings but could not hold onto their advantages in the close loss.

Riley Frey made his first Augusta appearance after being selected in the 19th round out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The lefty got through the first inning unscathed, stranding men on second and third, before E.J. Exposito laced a double off the wall to bring home the game’s first run in the top of the second. Salem took the lead back in the bottom of the frame, with Juan Montero doubling in two to make it a 2-1 Salem lead.

Augusta tied the game in the top of the third, after Drew Compton knocked a two-out, two-run single to score Ambioris Tavarez and Cam Magee. In the next frame, Kade Kern reached via an error, took third on a balk, and Exposito rocked a sacrifice fly to put Augusta back on top 4-3.

Giomar Diaz entered for Frey in the fourth, and for the first time this season the 20-year old seemed to hit a roadblock. Diaz ended up giving up three runs on four hits in the frame, including a pair of doubles, as Salem retook the lead 6-4. Diaz worked a scoreless fifth, before Shay Schanaman entered for his debut. The former Nebraska man was perfect, fanning a pair in a scoreless sixth inning.

In the top of the seventh, Jacob Godman singled and Jair Casanova reached on an error. With men on first and second, Ambioris Tavarez ripped a single up the middle to score Godman and reduce the arrears to 6-5. Schanaman retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh with two more strikeouts, closing out a stellar debut.

In the top of the eighth, Jace Grady and Drew Compton worked leadoff walks, before Kade Kern singled Grady home to tie the game at 6-6. A double steal advanced Kern and Compton, before Exposito hit another sacrifice fly to give Augusta the lead 7-6. Chad Bryant entered in the bottom of the eighth, and the lead quickly evaporated, as Bryant gave up five hits before recording the second out of the frame as Salem pushed across three runs to retake the lead at 9-7. Jair Casanova led off the ninth inning with a moonshot home run, but Augusta could not even up the score again, and fell by a score of 9-8 for the second time this week.

Augusta remains on the road for a two-week trip to the commonwealth of Virginia to take on the Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) and 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..

About SRP Park/Augusta GreenJackets

The Augusta GreenJackets are the Single-A affiliate Atlanta Braves. 2023 Augusta GreenJackets single game tickets are on sale now for the final four homestands. To learn more about the benefits and to lock in your seat to cheer on the Braves of tomorrow, visit www.gjmembers.com or call (803) 349-WINS (9467). For tickets, team merchandise, and more information visit www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.

SRP Park is the anchor piece of Riverside Village, a live, work, “playball" development which includes apartment living, retail, restaurants, class "A" office space, and a Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. To learn more about SRP Park and hosting events and availability, visit www.thesrppark.com.

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