SAL1 Augusta GreenJackets

GreenJackets Chop Braves, Earn Four-Game Sweep

Published on August 8, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release


Augusta, GA - It's not often that you can bring a broom to a tomahawk fight and win, but that's exactly what the Augusta GreenJackets did to the Rome Braves in the just-completed four-game series between the teams. The GreenJackets picked up all seven of their runs in the sixth and seventh innings to earn a 7-3 win over the Braves and their fifth series sweep of the season on Monday night.

Down 2-0 in the sixth inning, the GreenJackets went to work against tiring Braves starter Aaron Northcraft. Carlos Willoughby was hit by a pitch to open the inning and moved to third on Chris Lofton's single. With one out, Josh Mazzola's RBI single scored Willoughby to put Augusta on the board. Ryan Scoma followed with a run-scoring double to tie the game at two. With the bases loaded later in the inning, Joel Weeks hit a sacrifice fly to bring home the go-ahead run and hand the GreenJackets a 3-2 lead.

After Rome left the tying run at third in the seventh, the GreenJackets grew their lead even more by scoring four times to put the game out of reach. With the bases loaded and one out, Mazzola drew a walk to bring in an insurance run. Scoma followed with an RBI groundout to push the lead to three. Devin Harris hit a screamer to third that Rome third baseman Edward Salcedo threw away to allow two runs to score and push Augusta's lead to 7-2.

The Braves loaded the bases in the eighth and got a run on a Tommy La Stella RBI single to move to within slam range at 7-3, but Brett Bochy retired five of the final six batters to seal the sweep and earn his fourth save of the year.

Rome took an early lead on runs in the second and third innings off Shawn Sanford. Evan Gattis hit his second home run of the series and 18th of the year to give the Braves a 1-0 lead in the second. An inning later, David Rohm's RBI single pushed the advantage to 2-0.

Sanford settled down after that, retiring eight of the next nine hitters and gutting out a six-inning performance to get the win. Sanford (9-7) allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three. He's now won six of his last seven decisions.

Northcraft (3-8) allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three in 5.1 innings in his second straight loss.

The GreenJackets - winners of four in a row overall and now with a 14-7 record at home in the second half - will travel on Tuesday to open their final eight-game road trip of the season a day later in Lexington against the Legends. Taylor Rogers (7-9, 3.27) gets the ball on Wednesday night in the series opener for the GreenJackets. First pitch from Lexington comes at 7:05 p.m. with radio pregame coverage beginning at 6:50, airing on WRDW-AM 1630 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 while further information can be found online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 8, 2011


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