Eighth Inning Rally Drives 4-2 Win
July 11, 2012 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Augusta, GA - A two-run Augusta GreenJackets eighth inning and the reliable relief of Cody Hall led the way for the GreenJackets on Wednesday night in a 4-2 win over the Greenville Drive on Wednesday night at Lake Olmstead Stadium.
With the game tied at two in the last half of the eighth inning, Joe Staley walked to open the inning. Staley broke to steal second with one out and Devin Harris at the plate and Harris delivered with a liner into left-center. Staley got the green light to score from first and did so when the relay throw got away from Greenville's catcher to give Augusta a 3-2 lead. The GreenJackets made it a two-run advantage when Jeff Arnold doubled home Harris to put Augusta ahead 4-2.
That would be all the cushion that Hall would need in the ninth inning. Despite allowing a one-out single, Hall induced a double play ball to end the game and seal his league-leading 15th save of the season.
For their third straight game, the GreenJackets scored first. After Brett Krill doubled to extend his hitting streak to eight games, Kelby Tomlinson singled to put runners at first and third. With two outs, a pickoff attempt at first got away far enough to allow Krill to score the game's first run.
In his first start with the GreenJackets in two months, Bryce Bandilla was cruising along until he hit turbulence in the sixth. Garin Cecchini doubled with one out and after a David Renfroe single put runners at the corners, Henry Ramos singled to score Cecchini and tie the game at one. Later in the inning, Bandilla was removed with one out and the bases loaded. Kevin Couture induced a groundout to pull the GreenJackets out of the threat. In his longest start of the year, Bandilla fired 5.2 innings and allowed a run on seven hits and a walk while striking out nine - one shy of a career-best.
The GreenJackets reclaimed the lead with a two-out, mini-rally in the seventh. Kelby Tomlinson was hit by a pitch and stole second with two outs. Shawn Payne worked the count to 2-2 before drilling a liner into right-center to score Tomlinson and give Augusta a 2-1 lead. The lead didn't last long though as the Drive tied the game at two in the next half inning. Cecchini singled and stole second to lead off the frame. After a walk, a sacrifice bunt moved the Greenville runners to second and third before Cecchini scored on Cody Koback's RBI groundout to tie the game at two before the GreenJackets took the lead for good in their half of the eighth.
Kyle Vazquez (1-1) got the win despite allowing Greenville to tie the game in the eighth - his only inning of work. Nate Striz (0-2) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in the Augusta eighth to take the loss.
The GreenJackets will try to win their third straight over the Drive on Thursday night with Kyle Crick (3-6, 3.22) taking the mound against Noe Ramirez (0-1, 2.89). It'll be another Thirsty Thursday, with soft drinks and draft beers available for a dollar beginning when gates open at 6 p.m. 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 July 11, 2012
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- Franco Carries Claws to 9-3 Win - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Crawdads Fall in Wednesday Matinee in Lakewood - Hickory Crawdads
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
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