Crawford Provides Walkoff Stroke in Matinee Win
Published on July 12, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Augusta, GA - For the third time this year, Evan Crawford played hero in a late-inning situation with a grounder through the legs of Kannapolis shortstop Michael Richard to give the Augusta GreenJackets a 4-3 win over the Intimidators on Monday afternoon. With the win, Augusta takes three of five in the series from Kannapolis
The Jackets never held a lead until the very last play of the game, trailing 3-2 going into the ninth inning. After Hector Sanchez and Juan Martinez singled to open the frame, Ydwin Villegas sacrificed the runners into scoring position with a bunt on a 1-2 pitch to set up Crawford. On the first pitch he saw from Garrett Johnson (4-4), Crawford hit a roller through the legs of Richard at short to bring home the tying and winning runs for Augusta.
The victory is Augusta's eighth in walkoff fashion this season and it's the first win for the GreenJackets in a game where they'd trailed after eight innings. Previously, the Jackets had been 0-32 when trailing after eight. Augusta finished their season series against the Intimidators with a 7-3 mark against Kannapolis.
Kannapolis took the lead in the second with a pair of two-out hits off Augusta starter Craig Clark. Jake Oester doubled home a run while Zach Kayne followed with a run-scoring single to put the Intimidators up by a pair. Seven of Kannapolis' eight hits in the game came with two outs.
Clark settled down after that, as did Kannapolis starter Andre Rienzo, to set up a pitchers' duel through the middle innings. Both recorded season-highs in strikeouts as Clark fanned seven and Rienzo ten. Clark threw six innings of two-run ball and allowed a walk and five hits while Clark held Augusta scoreless through six four-hit innings and only walked one.
In the seventh, Augusta tied the game when a Villegas groundout brought home the first Jackets run and a Crawford single provided the second. The Intimidators reclaimed the lead in the very next inning when Chris Gloor loaded the bases with two outs on an error, a walk and a dropped third strike on what would've been the third out of the eighth. Ryan Hamme drew a bases loaded walk on four pitches to put Kannapolis in the lead before Crawford's ninth-inning heroics.
Wilmin Rodriguez (1-0) got the Jackets out of a bases-loaded jam in a scoreless ninth inning to get the win for Augusta.
With Tuesday off, the GreenJackets have some time to regroup before opening a five-game set in Charleston on Wednesday night. Jorge Bucardo (8-4, 2.45) takes the mound for Augusta against Jose Ramirez (2-4, 3.42). First pitch from Charleston will come at 7:05 p.m. with the pregame action beginning at 6:50 p.m. on WRDW AM 1630, www.greenjacketsbaseball.com and www.wrdwam.com.
Fans can purchase seats to all home games 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 July 12, 2010
- Lexington Outslugs West Virginia - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Dads Fall to Grasshoppers in Series Finale - Hickory Crawdads
- Legends Score 7 in Ninth, Beat Power 12-8 - Lexington Legends
- Comeback Falls Short for Braves - Rome Emperors
- Romanski Lifts Charleston Over Braves, 3-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Crawford Provides Walkoff Stroke in Matinee Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Suns Split with Greenville - Hagerstown Suns
- Drive Fall to Suns, 5-4, in 7-Inning Series Finale - Greenville Drive
- Intimidators Can't Hold On, Lose 4-3 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Claws Lose First Series of the Season, Fall to Delmarva 3-2 - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Shorebirds Escape with 3-2 Win in Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Drive Shutout Suns, 4-0, in Completion of Suspended Game - Greenville Drive
- Hefflinger Placed on DL - Rome Emperors
- Charleston RiverDogs Featured in New ESPN Brand Campaign - Charleston RiverDogs
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