GreenJackets Bats Go Cold on a Hot Night at The Lake
Published on June 16, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The Augusta GreenJackets (31-33) opened up their last homestand of the first half of the 2015 season Tuesday night against the Lexington Legends (29-36). At the beginning of the night the GreenJackets were a mere three and half games back of the division leading Greenville Drive for the first half SAL League Southern Division Crown. The GreenJackets were coming off of a long road trip back to Augusta from West Virginia and had to quick turn around to Tuesday's game. In the end the Legends would prevail over the GreenJackets with a score of four to two.
It did not take long for the Legends to put runs up on the scoreboard Tuesday night. With Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado on first base after a single to right field, Ryan O'Hearn hit a homerun that just cleared the top of the left center wall to put the Legends out in front two runs. Un-frazzled by the two run homer, pitcher D.J. Snelten retired the two next Legends' batters to end the bottom of the first inning.
In the bottom of the first inning Cristian Paulino did his best Willie Mays Hayes impression by drawing a lead off walk, stealing second base, and made his way to third after a throwing error by catcher Chase Vallot. With Paulino now at third base, second baseman Ryan Jones hit a sacrifice fly to right field to allow Paulino to easily score the GreenJackets first run of the game.
D.J. Snelten shut down the Legends offense in the second and third innings but during the fourth inning the Legends were able to draw blood again from the GreenJackets right-handed pitcher. Brandon Downes knocked in Chase Vallot with an RBI double (Chase's 17th double of the year) from first base, who led the inning off with a walk. During the play an error by center fielder Cristian Paulino allowed Downes to make his way to third base. Downes would later score on a wild pitch, boosting the Legends lead to four to one.
The former Titan of Cal State Fullerton Jared Deacon led of the bottom of the fifth inning with a single for the GreenJackets. A batter later, Cristian Paulino cracked his first hit of the game to left field to move Deacon up to second base. Ryan Jones then joined on the hit party with a single of his own to load the bases for the GreenJackets with only one out. Shortstop Jeremy Sy stepped up to the plate and hit a ground ball force out to third base, the force out allowed Deacon to score and inch the GreenJackets one run closer the Legends.
Both starting pitchers, D.J. Snelten and Niklas Stephenson lasted five innings for their ball clubs until they handed the ball over to each their bullpens. Snelten would finish the night with a stat line of five innings pitched, eight hits, three earned runs, and seven strikeouts. Stephenson finished with four hits, one earned run, and two strikeouts in his five innings of work.
Both bullpens slammed the door shut on each team's offenses for the rest of the night. Dusten Knight and Raymundo Montero combined for four innings of relief work for the GreenJackets. Ray Corey pitched in three innings of relief work for the Legends, Corey allowed just one hit and struck out one GreenJackets batter. Evan Beal threw the bottom of the ninth inning for the Legends and picked up his fourth save of the season in the process.
The final scoreboard line would read two runs, five hits, and one error for the Augusta GreenJackets and four runs, eleven hits, and one error for the Lexington Legends. Niklas Stephenson improves to (2-5 ERA 4.45) on the season and D.J. Snelten (0-2 ERA 5.40) drops his second game of the year.
Tomorrow night the GreenJackets and Legends square off again for round two of their three game series. The GreenJackets have RHP Chris Johnson (0-1 ERA 5.40) scheduled to make the start and the Legends will counter with a righty of their own in Torey Deshaizer (2-4 ERA 5.40). Game time is scheduled for 7:05pm with the gates opening up to the guests of Lake Olmstead Stadium at 6:00pm sharp.
Wednesday night a lucky guest will walk away with a cool $100 dollars during our Baseball Bingo presented by Georgia Natural Gas. Guests will be able to play baseball bingo to win prizes throughout the game.
Wednesday night is also Veteran Appreciation night with the GreenJackets. There will be special $5 general admission tickets for all Veterans. Veteran discounted tickets can be ordered in advance by calling (706)-736-7889 or at our Shepeard Community Blood Center Box Office.
Every Wednesday night game is a Silver Jackets Club game presented by AARP, Comfort Keepers, and JRS Medical. The Silver Jackets Clubs is for GreenJackets fans who are sixty and older, members can enjoy baseball bingo, potential to be chosen to throw out a first pitch, a exclusive Silver Jackets T-shirt, and so much more! Post-game entertainment will be the world famous Launch-a-Ball.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 16, 2015
- Shorebirds Sweep Doubleheader in Lakewood - Delmarva Shorebirds
- GreenJackets Bats Go Cold on a Hot Night at The Lake - Augusta GreenJackets
- Late Surge from Gnats Enough to Best Tourists - Asheville Tourists
- Suns blind Intimidators to win game one - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Rally, Power Surge to 5-4 10-Inning Victory - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gnats Bats Get Going Late in 6-2 Win - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Fends off Charleston in 10 - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Legends Win Series Opener in Augusta, 4-2; O'Hearn Hits 15th HR - Lexington Legends
- Hickory Tops Braves in Ten Innings 7-6 - Rome Emperors
- Shorebirds Sweep Double-Header from BlueClaws on Tuesday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Grasshoppers Rout Drive, 12-4 - Greenville Drive
- WV Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Former O's Prospect Delmonico to Kannapolis - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Hoppers Back Home, Look for Strong Finish to First Half - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Crawdads Clinch Northern Division Title - Hickory Crawdads
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