Rodriguez's Relief Leads to 9-6 Win
Published on August 18, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Augusta GreenJackets News Release
Augusta, GA - With the Charleston RiverDogs threatening to erase a five-run Augusta GreenJackets lead in the third inning, Mario Rodriguez came on to save the day for the GreenJackets. His three perfect innings of relief stemmed the rising tide of the RiverDogs as Augusta picked up 13 hits and defeated Charleston 9-6 on Thursday night.
In a game where both starters were chased by the third, the GreenJackets jumped all over Nathan Forer in the second inning to score five runs - all of which would be unearned on two of the three RiverDogs errors in the contest. Two hits and an error loaded the bases for Chris Lofton, who brought home two runs on an RBI single. On the throw to the plate, the catcher missed the ball to allow a third run to score and Lofton to reach third base. After Adam Duvall walked, Ryan Lollis brought home Lofton and Duvall with a two-run double to push Augusta's lead to 5-0.
The RiverDogs struck back in the next half inning, sending Gaspar Santiago to the showers before he was able to record an out in the top of the third. Kevin Mahoney doubled home two runs to cut Augusta's lead to three and was followed by Kelvin DeLeon's RBI double to make it a 5-3 game. Santiago was replaced by Mario Rodriguez (7-5), who got out of the inning with the tying run at the plate and fired three total perfect innings of relief, striking out four and stopping the RiverDogs in their tracks. Charleston wouldn't record another hit until the seventh inning.
In the meantime, Augusta grew their lead to 6-3 on a sacrifice fly in the sixth from Devin Harris. When the RiverDogs finally registered their first hit since the third, they made it count. Shane Brown's RBI single cut the Augusta advantage to 6-4. Carlos Willoughby gave the GreenJackets breathing room in the seventh inning with a bases-loaded, bases-clearing triple to push the lead to five runs.
The RiverDogs got a pair back in the eighth on an RBI triple from Taylor Grote and a run-scoring groundout from Kyle Higashioka to make it a 9-6 game. Austin Fleet retired the final three hitters of the eighth to get out of the inning without further damage and Jose Valdez struck out one in a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save and seal Augusta's tenth win in their last 12 games.
Forer (2-6) took the loss for Charleston, allowing five runs - all unearned - on five hits and two walks while striking out two in two innings of work.
With the win, the GreenJackets are now 11-4 against the RiverDogs this season.
The GreenJackets send Shawn Sanford (9-8, 2.89) to the mound in search of their third straight win. He'll face fellow righty Manny Barreda (4-2, 4.05). First pitch 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 .
South Atlantic League Stories from August 18, 2011
- All Intimidators After First Standoff in Kannapolis - Hagerstown Suns
- Rodriguez's Relief Leads to 9-6 Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Shorebirds Two-Hit Power in 3-2 Game One Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Intimidators Bats Block out the Suns - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Lakewood Wins 4th Straight - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- GreenJackets Sting RiverDogs, 9-6 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Power Muster Just Two Hits in Loss - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Drive Drop Pair to Sand Gnats as Crucial Series Begins - Greenville Drive
- Thursday's Game Suspended, Doubleheader Friday - Hickory Crawdads
- Legends Rained out in Hickory - Lexington Legends
- Shorebirds Game Notes: at West Virginia - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Gnats Game Notes: Thursday, August 18 at Greenville - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Tourists to Host Ray Hathaway Night on Saturday, August 20 - Asheville Tourists
- Intimidators Announce 2012 Schedule - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- 'Swat the Sand Gnats' Bus Trip Set for Saturday, - Charleston RiverDogs
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