GreenJackets Take Win In Wild Friday (Saturday?) Contest

GreenJackets Take Win In Wild Friday (Saturday?) ContestAugusta hangs 10 on FredNats in game which finishes after the stroke of midnight

*North Augusta, SC* – The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) got three-run homers from Ambioris Tavarez and Jeremy Celedonio, as they knocked off the Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals) 10-4. Fredericksburg (8-13, 38-46) had taken a lead in the top of the fourth, but Augusta (11-11, 42-45) scored nine of the last ten runs while both teams outlasted a two-hour rain delay.

Jared Johnson made his eighth start of the season for Augusta, and fanned a pair of FredNats in the first inning. Augusta brought two men aboard in the bottom of the inning against Fredericksburg southpaw Erik Tolman, but could not find the game’s first run. The teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the third, when a pair of walks led to an RBI single from Cory Acton.

Johnson worked into trouble in the top of the fourth. A leadoff error placed a man at second, before Johnson threw 14 straight balls to walk the bases loaded and force in a run. Nolan Martinez entered in relief and gave up a two-run single, but was able to keep the score to 3-1.

Augusta, seemingly inspired by the offensive performance of their counterparts, exploded in the fourth for the second straight night. The GreenJackets sprung for six runs in the inning, with each of the first eight batters in the frame reaching base. The inning was highlighted by an Ambioris Tavarez three-run homer, his fifth of the year. Jeremy Celedonio and Cory Acton also brought home runs in the frame, which saw the GreenJackets take a 7-3 lead. After one batter in the top of the fifth, the game entered a weather delay.

After a delay which lasted two hours and four minutes, the game resumed at quarter to 11. A joyous din filled the air as both teams recognized the weirdness and beauty of the game of baseball. Chad Bryant relieved Nolan Martinez and sent the side packing, before Fredericksburg pitcher Matt Merrill hurled an immaculate inning – striking out the side on nine pitches – in the bottom of the fifth, a feat which is more rare than no-hitters.

Bryant and Merrill combined to get the game to the eighth inning without any further runs, before the FredNats punched a two-out single off of Elison Joseph to make it a 7-4 ballgame. Jeremy Celedonio blasted his team-high 15th homer in the bottom of the eighth to put the punctuation on what was a wacky, lengthy, and fruitful game for players and fans alike. The game ended at 12:04 AM, the latest Augusta has played to this year.

Augusta remains at home to take on the FredNats for two more games, including Military Appreciation Night tomorrow! To purchase tickets and learn more about the week’s homestand, visit https://www.milb.com/augusta/fans/gj-homestand-preview. Augusta will host Columbia (the Fireflies, not the lunar module) in their next homestand beginning August 1st.

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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