Story by Mitchell Speltz of the Augusta GreenJackets. Photos by Mike Adams of The Augusta Press
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets (23-22) took down the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (32-13) in consecutive nights with a 3-1 win Sunday.
Augusta’s offense produced the first runs of the game in the second inning by scoring three unearned runs, starting with Stephen Paolini scoring on a wild pitch to make it 1-0 GreenJackets. With two outs and two in scoring position for Brian Klein, the Augusta second basemen would come through with a double to the wall in right-center to plate home Connor Blair and Mahki Backstrom to up the GreenJackets lead to 3-0.
Myrtle Beach would put a run of their own on the board in the fourth on an RBI double by Kevin Madé, scoring Kevin Alcantara to trim the Augusta lead to 3-1.
Behind another phenomenal pitching performance, headed by starter Jordano Perez, the Pelicans were held in check from there as Perez pitched six innings on the mound allowing just two hits and one run with five strikeouts and zero walks delivering his second quality start of the season.
He’d set up the bullpen with Miguel Peña relieving him in the seventh and he’d keep it rolling for the GreenJackets by dealing a perfect seventh. Peña would get the first out of the eighth inning before Darling Florentino picked him up in the middle of the inning with tying runs on for the Pelicans. The right-hander would get the job done in the inning for Augusta thanks to a pair of ground-balls to keep both inherited runners on the base paths, preserving the 3-1 lead.
In the final inning, Florentino took the rubber again, attempting to pick up a five-out save. Myrtle Beach loaded the bases with two outs in the frame, but Florentino took the GreenJackets to the finish line by punching-out Felix Stevens to end the game, giving Augusta wins in back-to-back games versus the first place Pelicans with a 3-1 win on Sunday night.
Jordano Perez was the winning pitcher for Augusta, picking up his second victory of the season with Darling Florentino grabbing his first save as a GreenJacket. Starting pitcher, Porter Hodge was the losing pitching for Myrtle Beach.
Brian Klein packed the biggest punch of the night offensively for Augusta as his two-run double was the difference in the game, Caleb Durbin had the only other base-knock in the game as the GreenJackets finished with just two hits in the game.
The second act of the GreenJackets 12-game homestand begins on Tuesday as they host the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at SRP Park with the first pitch of the opener coming at 7:05 pm.
The fifth homestand at SRP Park gets rolling on Tuesday night against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox) with High School Grad night and $2 TWOsday. On Wednesday, its Warrior Wednesday sponsored by ADP and the Big Run 5K presented by Fleet Feet Augusta where runners and walkers can do a 5K that starts and ends at SRP Park. Grab a drink and enjoy Thirsty Thursday along with CSRA Idol Night at the ballpark where fans can sing along all night long with a Karaoke-Style theme. GreenJackets put on the red uniforms on Friday night for Braves Buzzfest with a special visit for Braves mascot Blooper who will make an appearance at SRP Park. The White-Claw Pregame Concert Series continues with music from MacKenzie Blake (4:30-5:30 pm) on Saturday, in addition to Cancer Survivor/Awareness night along with another Fireworks Extravaganza following the game presented by Augusta University Health. The homestand finishes on Sunday with Bark in the Park sponsored by Hollywood Feed along with Sunday Funday!
