*North Augusta, SC:* The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves, 1-1) opened the 2023 home slate on Tuesday night with a hard-fought 6-5 defeat to the Down East Wood Ducks (Texas Rangers, 2-1). The GreenJackets celebrated their Millionth Fan in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,812, welcoming in the fifth season of GreenJackets baseball at SRP Park.
The GreenJackets sent 17-year old Didier Fuentes (L, 0-1) to the mound, where he became the youngest Minor League Baseball player in the last six years. He went a solid 2.2 innings, striking out four in the process. The Wood Ducks got two across the plate in the top of the second courtesy of a Miguel Villaroel single, before a Tyler Collins sacrifice fly made it 2-1.
The GreenJackets struggled against Joseph Montalvo (W, 1-0), who worked three scoreless innings. Down East took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth before Augusta’s Ethan Workinger drove home a pair with a well-struck single. However, an inside the park home run from Cam Cauley extended the lead back to three, 6-3.
The GreenJackets got solid relief efforts from Cedric De Grandpre and Jared Johnson to keep the deficit at three going into the bottom of the ninth. After a walk by Workinger, Justin Janas delivered an RBI single to make it a two run game. A hit-by-pitch and a single loaded the bases, before Andrew Keck drove home a run while hitting into a double play. Seth Clark (S, 1) struck out Collins with the tying run at third base to secure the 6-5 win for Down East.
After the game, the GreenJackets celebrated their Millionth Fan, with local fan Ryan Schuchmann selected as the lucky number 1,000,000 to participate in the on-field contest. He went home with an exclusive GreenJackets prize pack and a memory that will last a lifetime.
The GreenJackets are back in action tomorrow night against the Down East Wood Ducks at 7:05 with Adam Shoemaker (season debut) getting the start. The game can be heard at bit.ly/GJRadio.
