FAYETTEVILLE, NC: The GreenJackets’ bullpen allowed just one run on two hits in six innings, but four early tallies against Jeremy Reyes propelled the Woodpeckers to a 5-1 victory to begin the week against the GreenJackets.
Reyes has been one of the most high-octane starters in Augusta’s rotation, but for the second straight start command issues shortened his outing and chased him before the third.
Fayetteville tagged the young righty for two runs on two hits and two walks in each of the first two innings, with Reyes not returning after the 2nd and taking his third loss of the year.
While Reyes was forced to grind for every out in his two innings, Woodpecker starter Joan Ogando continued his run of strong home appearances by keeping Augusta at bay for five scoreless frames.
Ogando allowed just two hits and two walks, stranding runners at third in both the 2nd and 4th innings to keep Augusta off the board. Ogando has now posted back-to-back shutout starts at home, totaling 11 innings dating back to his previous outing.
Albert Rivas retired all six batters he faced in relief of Reyes, and David Rodriguez mowed down his first six hitters to keep the Jackets within striking distance.
That strike would not come until the top of the 7th, however, when Dawil Almonte began to struggle with his command.
Almonte allowed a two-out walk to Leiker Figueroa, and gave up sharp singles to Joe Olsavsky and John Gil to load the bases.
Owen Carey turned an 8-pitch at bat into a run-scoring walk, but Luis Guanipa rocked a scorching ground ball right at the second baseman to end the inning with just one run across.
Fayetteville would get the run back in the 8th inning against Rodriguez, manufacturing Waner Luciano aroud the bases after he began the inning with a double.
Luciano took third on a groundout to first, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Esmil Valencia to regain the four-run advantage.
The extra run ended up being unnecessary, as the Jackets could not solve closer Ryan Smith in either the 8th or 9th, as Smith picked up his 3rd save of the year via a series of ground balls.
The Jackets have now lost 6 of 7 games against the Woodpeckers, with tonight marking the first loss where Augusta did not lead after five innings.
Wednesday, June 25, Justin Militello makes his first road start in a GreenJacket uniform after four solid innings last week.
He matches up with Dylan Howard, a Carolina native who has also thrown just once for his team, having been hit hard in Myrtle Beach last week against the red-hot Pelicans.
