NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: Playing as the CSRA River Donkeys for the first time ever, Augusta utilized a career day from catcher Colin Burgess and strong pitching from Rayven Antonio and Samuel Mejia to secure a 6-3 win, their first of the week.
Both offenses came out ready to go, scoring a run apiece in the first off Antonio and Woodpeckers starter Joan Ogando. Jancel Villarroel hooked a one-out single, and Alberto Hernandez continued his brilliant week with a two-out triple to put Fayetteville up early.
The Donkeys were unable to muster a hit in the first, but Colby Jones walked, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch before tying the game on a grounder from Mason Guerra.
Fayetteville regained their lead almost immediately, as Waner Luciano stung a slider over the wall in left, his second homer of the year, for a 2-1 advantage. Antonio saw the homer and vowed to make no further mistakes, as the long ball was the last hit he allowed across five victorious innings.
After a pair of zeroes against Ogando, Burgess began to stake his claim as Most Valuable Donkey, following up a walk to Roiber Niazoa with a screaming homer to left, his first in Minor League Baseball. The one-run lead would never be relinquished, and Ogando took his first loss since May 4th.
Neither side made much noise in the middle innings, as Mejia and Abel Mercedes took the reins on the hill for their respective sides and totaled two zeroes each. It was not until the bottom of the 7th that the River Donkeys were able to tack on, piecing together three against Mercedes.
John Gil began the frame with a single, and stole 2nd and 3rd on back-to-back pitches. Jones stepped up behind him, and stroked a sac fly for his 6th RBI in four games.
Mercedes retired the next hitter and seemed set to allow just one run, but back-to-back two out walks to Guerra and Douglas Glod ended his night prematurely. Fayetteville summoned Francisco Frias, who walked Niazoa to load the bases for Burgess. Burgess worked the count full, and smacked a two-run single to center for a 6-2 advantage.
The Woodpeckers have never gone down quietly, and began to threaten in the 9th against Mejia when he opened the door by booting a chopper and putting a one-out runner aboard.
Justin Trimble singled to send the runner first to third, and Waner Luciano floated a single for an unearned run. That brought the tying run to the plate with one out, but Mejia punched out Cam Fisher and Kedaur Trujillo in back-to-back at bats to secure his first save of the year.
The win stops both Augusta’s three-game losing streak, and Fayetteville’s season-high five-game winning streak. With the River Donkey win and a loss from the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, Augusta now reclaims sole possession of first place in the division with 11 games to go in the first half.
Saturday, June 7, marks the second and final River Donkeys Night before the jerseys are auctioned off to benefit the conservation of Stallings Island, the home of the donkeys that serve as the inspiration for these uniforms.
Braves’ #1 prospect Cam Caminiti will make his season debut on the hill, with a whole lot of eyes and expectations on him.
