Bullpen Falters Twice in Twinbill Sweep
August 29, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Charleston, SC - Debate will rage over which of the two Augusta GreenJackets losses on Saturday was more crushing but the fact remains that the two Charleston RiverDogs wins in a doubleheader sweep of the Jackets deals a critical blow to the GreenJackets playoff hopes.
In game one, the Jackets led 2-0 until the Dogs scored twice in the fifth to tie the game and once in the sixth to take the lead. The GreenJackets had the potential tying run thrown out at the plate to end the game with the Dogs taking the 3-2 win. In the nightcap, the Jackets needed four outs to win the game with an eight-run lead and couldn't manage. Charleston scored six in the sixth and two in the seventh - all with two outs - to tie and won it 9-8 on an Addison Maruszak 11th inning single.
Aaron King (6-6) was impressive until the fifth inning, holding a two-run lead until a dropped fly ball resulted in one run coming home and the tying run scoring on an Abraham Almonte single. The Jackets jumped out to the lead in the fourth inning with Eliezer Zambrano's RBI hit and James Simmons' run-scoring double.
King walked Melky Mesa to open the sixth and departed in favor of Chris Wilson, who allowed the go-ahead single to Jeff Farnham. King allowed all three runs on four hits and three walks in five innings, with seven strikeouts.
Andrew Brackman (2-13) threw two scoreless innings of two-hit baseball to get a win that was preserved when Abraham Almonte's throw to the plate nailed Johnny Monell, who was trying to score from second on Josh Mazzola's two-out single in the seventh inning to end the game.
In the nightcap, the Jackets built up a huge lead with two runs in the second, four in the third and two more in the fourth on Monell's two-run home run - his sixth of the season and third this month. Simmons and Monell knocked in three apiece during the run to give the Jackets an 8-0 lead through the bulk of the game.
Orlando Yntema was cruising for the GreenJackets and got the first two outs of the sixth before Taylor Grote's RBI double broke up the shutout bid. Garrison Lassiter doubled home another to cut the lead to six before the Dogs got RBI hits from Mitch Abeita and Jose Pirela to effectively halve the lead. Abraham Almonte - the 10th hitter of the inning - knocked home two to bring the lead down to a pair. Edwin Quirarte got the final out of the inning to preserve the tie.
With two outs in the seventh and the tying run at the plate, Lassiter's second double of the night scored Grote from second to bring Charleston to within a run. Mitch Abeita singled to score Lassiter and tie the game before Ryan Verdugo came on to strike out Jose Pirela and send the game to extras.
The RiverDogs had the winning run on third in the eighth and tenth innings but still failed to score. Meanwhile, the Dogs bullpen held the Augusta bats at bay, limiting them to two hits after Monell's fourth inning home run in seven shutout innings. Francisco Peguero's two-out 11th inning triple was the only time the Jackets had a chance in extras. That flame was extinguished when Wendell Fairley struck out to end the inning.
Grote led off the 11th against Kyle Woodruff (3-2) with a single and moved to second on Woodruff's throwing error before scoring the winning run on Addison Maruszak's hit to right-center.
Luke Prihoda (3-0) fired two scoreless innings of one-hit baseball to get the win, with three strikeouts in the nightcap.
The GreenJackets will try to salvage one of the three games in Charleston on Sunday afternoon with Eric Surkamp (9-5, 3.58) in search of his staff-best 10th win of the year. He'll face Alan Horne with the first pitch to come from Joseph P. Riley Park on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WRDW-AM 1630 and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.
On Monday, the GreenJackets return home for a three-game series against the Savannah Sand Gnats. First pitch comes at 7:05 p.m. on Monday and the game will be broadcast on WRDW AM 1630 and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com. You may purchase seats by calling 706-922-WINS or online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.
South Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2009
- Captains Dominate Game Two - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Stolmy Pimentel Earns 10th Win as Drive Blank Legends, 9-0 - Greenville Drive
- Demny deals, Higly nails debut in Suns' win - Hagerstown Suns
- RiverDogs Sweep Saturday Doubleheader From Augusta - Charleston RiverDogs
- Nicasio Not Enough In Asheville's Third Straight Loss - Asheville Tourists
- Hot Rods score 4 times in first 2 innings against first place Tourists - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Crawdads power past West Virginia, 9-5 - Hickory Crawdads
- Allen, Campbell Lead Gnats To Win - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Kannapolis takes opener in Greensboro for 13th win in last 14 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- BlueClaws Win First of Two - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Bullpen Falters Twice in Twinbill Sweep - Augusta GreenJackets
- Greenville takes series opener over Legends 9-0 - Lexington Legends
- Kannapolis Downs Hoppers With Solid Pitching Performance - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Five errors cause Power to lose early leads - Charleston Dirty Birds
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