Bases-Loaded Walk Ends Marathon Win
Published on September 4, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Augusta, GA - In a game that saw an eight-run Rome Braves lead evaporate in a single inning, the Augusta GreenJackets clawed their way to a hard-fought 9-8 win in 16 innings on Saturday night at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
With two outs in the bottom of the 16th and Chris Lofton leading at second base, Devin Harris was intentionally walked to set up a force at any base. After Joel Weeks drew a walk from Tyler Stovall (1-6) to load the bases, Rafael Rodriguez took ball four with the bases loaded to force Lofton in with the winning run, giving the GreenJackets the 9-8 win.
In what was the longest game this season for the GreenJackets in innings played (16) and time of game (5:17), Augusta had to dig out of an early hole and rely heavily on an already-taxed bullpen. Rome built an 8-0 lead through four and a half innings, getting things started with three second-inning runs - all of which were unearned due to a fielding error. In the third, Ryan Delgado's RBI double pushed the lead to three while Rome scored two each in the fourth and fifth innings to jump ahead by eight runs.
The GreenJackets not only erased the entire lead with an eight-run fifth inning, but they also provided their season-high in number of runs in a single inning during the fifth. Augusta sent 13 to the plate, getting on the board when Bobby Haney reached on an error by Rome shortstop Matt Lipka. Chris Lofton grounded out on a dribbler in the infield to bring home the second run and produce the second out, but Ryan Scoma followed with an RBI single that started a string of seven consecutive two-out singles off Rome starter Willie Kempf.
Adam Duvall, Joel Weeks and Rodriguez each had RBI hits while the GreenJackets got a run on a wild pitch to pull to within a run. Kelby Tomlinson - added to the roster just two days ago - provided the tying run on his first hit as a GreenJacket, an RBI single that scored Rodriguez to tie things at eight. The 8-0 deficit Augusta erased in the fifth served as their largest comeback of the season.
Neither starter made it through five innings, as Kempf was lifted in the fifth and Augusta starter Mario Rodriguez was chased in the third. Augusta's bullpen provided a monumental effort in their 13.2 innings of work. Six relievers - Gaspar Santiago, Jose Valdez, Seth Rosin, Brett Bochy, Edward Concepcion and Andrew Berger - combined to strike out 22 Rome Braves hitters. They allowed just six hits from the sixth inning on, with Berger (1-0) hanging on to get the win.
The GreenJackets had just three hits after their eight-run fifth and only one in extras. Until they won the game in the 16th, the only time the GreenJackets had a man in scoring position in extra innings came in the 15th inning, when Rodriguez walked and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches.
With Savannah's win and Augusta's victory, the GreenJackets remain a game behind the division-leading Sand Gnats. Asheville won and Greenville split a doubleheader, so the Tourists and Drive remain two games behind Savannah. Asheville and Greenville can both be eliminated from the division race with a loss or a Savannah win while it'll take both a GreenJackets loss and a Savannah win to eliminate the GreenJackets.
Shawn Sanford (10-9, 2.47) gets the ball for the GreenJackets in the penultimate game of the 2011 regular season on Sunday and he'll face Aaron Northcraft (6-8, 3.47). First pitch comes at 5:35 p.m. with radio pregame coverage beginning at 5:20, airing online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.
Single-game tickets for any GreenJackets home game are currently available by calling the GreenJackets front office at 706-922-WINS while further information can be found online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from September 4, 2011
- Suns Swat Back-To-Back Jacks, Topple BlueClaws, 4-2 - Hagerstown Suns
- BlueClaws Drop 3rd Straight to Hagerstown - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Drive Crush Crawdads, 10-5 - Greenville Drive
- GreenJackets Run Out of Gas in 6-1 Setback - Augusta GreenJackets
- Drive Race Past 'Dads on Sunday - Hickory Crawdads
- Hoppers Homers Hamper Hopes for Playoffs - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Home Runs Not Enough as Shorebirds Fall, 6-2 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Greene Grabs Win as 'Dogs Torment Tourists - Charleston RiverDogs
- Legends-Sand Gnats Game Rained Out; Doubleheader Monday - Lexington Legends
- Rome Makes Roster Moves - Rome Emperors
- Gnats Game Notes: Sunday, September 4 at Lexington - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Bases-Loaded Walk Ends Marathon Win - Augusta GreenJackets
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