KANNAPOLIS, NC: An early avalanche of offense created a big lead right off the bat for the GreenJackets, and Augusta never stopped hitting in a 13-1 victory over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Wednesday night.
The Jackets took starter Luis Reyes to task in his only inning, posting six runs in the top of the first. Eric Hartman and John Gil began the inning with base hits, and an E6 on Gil’s hit moved Hartman to third.
A second error on shortstop Bryce Eblin brought home the game’s first two runs, before Owen Carey cracked an RBI triple. A third error from Eblin, two singles, and sac fly from Douglas Glod made it a six-run onslaught before Cam Caminiti threw a pitch.
Caminiti did not have his best stuff, but gutted out four strong innings with just one run allowed. The lefty ended three outs shy of qualifying for the win, but he did more than enough to hold Kannapolis at bay while Augusta kept extending the lead.
After a scoreless 2nd, the Jackets jumped back into action in the 3rd, swatting at Mathias LaCombe, who had only allowed one hit in his first 6 innings as a Cannon Baller.
After back-to-back one out knocks, Glod stayed hot with an RBI poke through the right side. Joe Olsavsky walked to load the bases, before Hartman cracked a sac fly to add another run.
Cody Miller would be the one to push the lead to double digits, roping a two-run double down the right field line to score two more.
When Caminiti departed, there would be no respite for the Ballers, as Augusta’s bullpen continued its dynamite month of August by shutting down Kannapolis the rest of the way.
Three new relievers each made their pro debuts in style, as Drew Christo, Kade Woods, and Logan Forsythe combined for seven Ks in four scoreless innings, with Christo earning his first professional win. Jhonly Taveras wrapped up the 9th, and Augusta’s pen has now totaled 21.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Augusta would tack on a few extra insurance runs late in the game, beginning with an RBI grounder from Carey in the 5th. After four relievers came and went between innings 2 and 7 for Kannapolis, the Ballers were forced to throw two different position players between the 8th and 9th, who allowed six hits and two runs to bring the total to a baker’s dozen.
The win was the second highest run total of the year for the GreenJackets, and tied for the largest margin of victory of the year. Nineteen hits, meanwhile, is the most by the GreenJackets in a single game since joining the Braves organization.
The Jackets now hope the bats have something left for Thursday, Aug. 14, when Kendy Richard will take the mound in his 3rd start with the team after back-to-back scoreless appearances.
