Buechele's Big Day Overshadowed In Loss
Published on June 3, 2012 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Asheville, NC - Despite seven RBI's in a three-hit game from Augusta GreenJackets third baseman Garrett Buechele, the Asheville Tourists picked up a run in the ninth inning to take a 9-8 win from the GreenJackets in a see-saw Sunday affair. The GreenJackets, swept in four straight by the Tourists, have now lost five in a row and eight of their last nine.
With the game tied at eight in the bottom of the ninth, Asheville's Will Swanner walked to lead off the inning. Taylor Featherston followed with a single off Kyle Vazquez (0-1) and both men were bunted into scoring position. After David Kandilas was intentionally walked to load the bases, Jose Rivera hit a bouncer to the right side of the infield. Carlos Willoughby ranged left and threw to second for the second out, but Rivera beat the relay to first and Swanner scored to win the game for the Tourists.
The Tourists took the game's first lead for the third straight game on Tyler Massey's two-run double in the first inning. Asheville doubled that lead in the fourth on Featherston's two-run home run - his first of four hits in the game - to claim a 4-0 lead. Joe Staley put the GreenJackets on the board with a solo homer on the first pitch of the fifth to cut Asheville's lead to 4-1. The Tourists answered in the bottom half of the inning on Featherston's RBI single to reclaim a four-run advantage.
Down 5-1 in the sixth, the GreenJackets sent nine to the plate and tied the game on their second grand slam of the year. With the bases full on a pair of walks and a double, Buechele unloaded them with his first home run of the year - a game-tying grand slam to even things at five. Augusta scored in the seventh to claim a 6-5 lead and again Buechele factored into the mix - giving Augusta the lead with an RBI single.
The Augusta lead was short-lived though, as the Tourists tied the game in the seventh with a two-out RBI double from Featherston. In the eighth, the Tourists claimed an 8-6 lead on Brian Humphries's RBI double and Trevor Story's RBI triple.
But the GreenJackets had one last fight left in them in the ninth inning. Jose Flores led off with a double and took third on Jose Cuevas's single. Cuevas stole second and with one out, Buechele knocked them both in with his third hit of the day to tie the game at eight. Elliott Blair doubled to put runners at second and third with one out, but the GreenJackets stranded them to end the inning and set the stage for Asheville's heroics in the bottom of the ninth.
After blowing the save in the ninth inning, Asheville's Jefri Hernandez (3-0) held on to get the win. Augusta starter Joe Biagini followed up his best start of the year with a shaky one, allowing five runs - four earned - on five hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. Biagini's five strikeouts were a career-high.
The GreenJackets will have Monday off to lick their wounds before opening a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Clayton Blackburn (1-2, 3.63) takes the ball for Augusta in the opener after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his last start on Tuesday. First pitch comes at 7:05 p.m. with radio pregame coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN Radio 1340 AM and 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 and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 3, 2012
- Crawdads Walk-Off Again to Sweep the Power, 7-6 - Hickory Crawdads
- Kannapolis Tops Lakewood 9-4; Lakewood's 8th Straight Loss - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Intimidators Come from Behind for 9th Straight Win - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Split with a Split - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Four Homers Ignite Comeback Bid - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Buechele's Big Day Overshadowed In Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
- Foltynewicz One-Hits Rome Through Eight Innings, Legends Win 4-1 - Lexington Legends
- Suns Win Big in Mitchell Akers Benefit Game - Hagerstown Suns
- Suns Drop Shorebirds 13-5 in Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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