GreenJackets Split Twin Bill with Fireflies

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GreenJackets Media Contact:

Noah Adcock-Howeth

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GreenJackets Split Twin Bill with Fireflies

Jackets Complete Win in Suspended Game, Fall in Nightcap to Open Series

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: The GreenJackets won handedly in the opener of the day, but came up just short in the finale as they split a series-opening doubleheader with the Columbia Fireflies.

Game one of the day was a continuation of a suspended game that had been called due to rain back on July 6^th. At the time of the postponement, Augusta had led 6-0 in the 4^th inning, setting the stage nicely to start the long day of baseball. Harry Owen added a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 4^th upon resumption, and neither side scored again in an 8-0 thrashing to start the week. Garrett Baumann pitched all 5.2 innings of today’s game and did not allow a run, combining with Ian Anderson for the shutout stretched across 52 days.

The nightcap proved a bit more complicated, with both sides leaving the door open for the opposition and going back and forth for all seven innings. Starters Jacob Kroeger and Mauricio Veliz each battled command problems, leading to runs in the 4^th. Columbia scored once on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, while Augusta used a walk from Will Verdung, two-run single from Jake Steels, and fielder’s choice off the bat of Mason Guerra to take a 4-1 lead.

Kroeger would depart after the 2^nd, and Veliz after the 3^rd, putting the bullpens to work early and often. The Fireflies found a crack against Juan Sanchez when his command began to falter in the 4^th, and scored twice to bring themselves within a run. A single and two walks loaded the bags, and a sac fly and subsequent free passes ended Sanchez’s evening. Hayder Ortiz came on to strand the bags full, and not a moment too soon.

Ortiz faltered in the 5^th, continuing a concerning trend of GreenJacket relievers who strand runners on when inherited but can’t replicate success in clean innings. A hit by pitch and single set the table with one out set the stage, and Erick Torres put Columbia in front with a two-run double into the left field corner. Augusta put two on with two out in the bottom half, but Mason Guerra was cut down trying to score on Alen Pineda’s first hit of the year to keep the Fireflies in front.

Both sides would trade runs in the 6^th, as Austin Charles hammered a solo homer to left, and Titus Dumitru cranked a sacrifice fly to the fence to bring home an answering run. Augusta put the tying run at third on a single, steal, and groundout, but Pineda flew out to right field to end the game and give Firefly closer Elvis Novas his 8^th save.

This week marks the final homestand of the 2024 season for the GreenJackets, with 5 game still to play. Augusta has not announced the starting pitchers for the rest of the week, but off-the-field highlights include jersey auctions, Taylor Swift Night, and Fan Appreciation Night.

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