Pitchers Duel Ends in GreenJackets Favor
April 16, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
North Augusta, SC: In a true pitchers duel, which saw Blake Rivera throw five-innings of no-hit baseball, the GreenJackets got just enough offense to secure a 3-1 win over the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday night. Augusta improves to 6-5 on the season and is now 2-0 at home in 2019.
Rivera and Greensboro's Osvaldo Bido put up zeroes on the board for the first four innings, but Augusta changed that in the 5th.
Wander Franco broke the scoring open with his 2nd home run of the year in the 5th inning. A solo shot gave the GreenJackets a 1-0 advantage. It was just the 2nd hit of the game for Augusta.
After Blake Rivera went five innings without allowing a hit or a run, Norwith Gudino took over and kept the no-hitter intact after six innings. But in the 7th, Greensboro changed that when Mason Martin led the inning off with a solo home run to tie the score at one.
The GreenJackets had an answer though in the home-half of the 7th. Frankie Tostado led the inning off with an infield hit, followed by a Wander Franco walk. After Ismael Munguia moved the runners over with a groundout, Tostado scored from 3rd base on a wild pitch to take the 2-1 lead.
In the 8th inning, Tostado singled home Aaron Bond and it gave the GreenJackets a 3-1 advantage. In the 9th inning, Ryan Walker picked up his first save of the season, and had two strikeouts, as the GreenJackets have their first winning streak of the season at two games.
Norwith Gudino gets the win for the GreenJackets while Bido gets the loss, despite throwing six innings of one run baseball for Greensboro.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Blake Rivera, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 6 SO
Blake Rivera came into Tuesday's game with an ERA of 21.60. He changed that with a memorable SRP Park performance as he struck out six, and did not allow a hit. Rivera, the #18 Prospect in the Giants organization, according to MLB.com, was phenomenal all night long only issuing two walks.
Tomorrows Game: 10:35 a.m. vs Greensboro Grasshoppers, Matthew Frisbee (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs Alex Manasa (0-0, 3.72 ERA)
Matthew Frisbee makes his first start of the season in an early morning start from SRP Park. Frisbee has been coming out of the bullpen for Augusta with a 3.86 ERA in two games pitched. He has 11 strikeouts and only two walks this year.
Alex Manasa, the 11th Round selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2017 MLB Draft, will take the hill for Greensboro. Manasa had 11 strikeouts in his last start at Charleston while he only allowed one run.
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