Defense Optional as GreenJackets Sweep Lexington
May 2, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
North Augusta, SC: In the series finale with the Lexington Legends (12-14), defense was optional. The two teams each had three errors, but it was the GreenJackets who overcame the miscues to win their 5th in a row. Solomon Bates gets the win out of the Augusta bullpen as he goes three innings with six strikeouts, and Ryan Walker gets a six-out save. It was his 5th of the year.
The GreenJackets scored a run in the 1st inning, for the 2nd consecutive night. Ismael Munguia extended his hitting streak to 12-games with his infield hit, and later in the inning, Diego Rincones singled to score Munguia and make it 1-0 GreenJackets.
Sloppy play was an early theme for both teams. Each squad committed two errors through the first three innings. In the 3rd inning, with a man on 3rd base, a swinging strikeout in the dirt forced Andres Angulo to make a throw down to 1st base. He threw it over his 1st baseman Frankie Tostado's head, and it tied the game at one as Adam Eaton scored from 3rd base.
In the 3rd inning, the GreenJackets got the run back when the 3rd baseman Eaton couldn't field a groundball, and it allowed Shane Matheny to score, giving the Jackets a 2-1 lead. In the 4th inning, Aaron Bond hit his 3rd home run of the year 428 feet, and the GreenJackets extended the lead to 3-1.
Sean Hjelle would go four innings on the mound without allowing an earned run. He strikes out six, and issued only one walk.
In the 5th inning, Francisco Tostado doubled and it scored Rincones with two outs to make it a 4-1 GreenJackets advantage.
With Solomon Bates on in relief, Juan Carlos Negret hit a solo home run in the 6th inning to make it just a 4-2 Augusta lead. It was the only hit Bates allowed on his way to the win.
Ryan Walker got the final six outs for Augusta and the GreenJackets improve to 14-11 this year.
Player of the Game: Aaron Bond, 1-3, HR, RBI
The tape-measure shot for Bond was sent deep into the night air, and helped the GreenJackets extend their lead in the 4th inning.
Tomorrow: 7:05 p.m. vs Hagerstown Suns, LHP Tim Cate (HAG) (1-2, 1.65 ERA) vs RHP Blake Rivera (AUG) (1-0, 4.60 ERA)
Blake Rivera will open-up the series on the mound versus the Hagerstown Suns (Washington Nationals). In Rivera's last start in Delmarva, he went four innings allowing three runs. Rivera made a couple costly errors that resulted in Delmarva runs. In his last appearance at SRP Park he went five innings on April 16th without allowing a hit or a run. Rivera is ranked as the #18 prospect in the San Francisco Giants organization according to MLB.com.
Tim Cate will take the ball for Hagerstown. The southpaw makes his 6th start of the season and is 1-2 with a 1.65 ERA. Cate was a 2nd round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft from Connecticut and is ranked as the #5 prospect, according to MLB.com, in the Washington Nationals organization.
About the Augusta GreenJackets
SRP Park is the anchor piece of Riverside Village, a live, work, "playball" development which includes apartment living, senior 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.
2019 Augusta GreenJackets season tickets are on sale now. To learn more about the benefits and to get in on the 2019 action, visit www.greenjacketsbaseball.com or call (803) 349-WINS (9467).
South Atlantic League Stories from May 2, 2019
- Adon, Four-Run 7th Put Tourists Away in Finale - Hagerstown Suns
- Knight Dazzles, 'Birds Blank 'Flies for Sweep - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Bush Battles, But Tourists Unable to Complete Sweep - Asheville Tourists
- Defense Optional as GreenJackets Sweep Lexington - Augusta GreenJackets
- Bies, Higgins Combine for Two-Hit Shutout to Finish Sweep of Kannapolis - Charleston RiverDogs
- Butto Brilliant But Columbia Blanked - Columbia Fireflies
- Power Blanked by BlueClaws in Series Finale - Charleston Dirty Birds
- BlueClaws Bats Burst out in 10-0 Thursday Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Game Notes: May 2 vs. Delmarva (Game 26) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (May 2) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Greensboro Takes Series with 8-3 Win over Rome - Rome Emperors
- Greenville Falls to Hickory on Wednesday - Greenville Drive
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