COLUMBIA, SC: The GreenJackets could not capitalize on a series of early knocks, and fell flat late as the Fireflies outmuscled them by a score of 2-0.
Rayven Antonio continued his run of strong pitching again this evening, firing 5.1 solid innings with just one earned run allowed.
Antonio has not been a stranger to a lack of run support, and took his second loss of the year despite a solid performance.
Augusta scratched four hits off of starter Yunior Marte, the last of which came to lead off the third from Colby Jones.
Jones was caught stealing 2nd two pitches later, and the Jackets would not muster another hit against Marte, Yeri Perez, and Augusto Mendieta.
The Fireflies finally broke through against Antonio in the 4th, thanks to an unearned run. Hyungchan Um sent a soft ground ball to third, and was set to beat out an infield single already, when Leiker Figueroa fired the throw down the line, sending Um to second.
Two outs later, Stone Russell blooped one into shallow right to score the first run of the day.
Columbia would double the advantage in the 6th, chasing Antonio after back-to-back one out walks raised his pitch count over 90 for the first time as a pro.
Juan Sanchez came out of the pen, and after a double steal put a man at third, Milo Rushford lofted a sac fly for the game’s final run.
Mendieta retired six of seven hitters faced in the game’s final two innings, and picked up his first Single-A save.
The Jackets have now been shut out twice in the last three nights, and scored just three runs in four games against the Fireflies.
