*North Augusta, SC* – The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) extended their winning streak to three games, picking up a 8-7 victory in ten innings over the visiting Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays). Augusta (14-14) improves to .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season, sending Charleston (10-19) to their second consecutive loss.
Spencer Schwellenbach started the game for Augusta, making his sixth start on the season. He pitched three solid innings, exiting in the top of the fourth while striking out five batters and not allowing a run. He was able to pitch with a lead for much of his outing, though, as Jair Casanova stroked a two-strike, two-out, two-run double down the left field line in the bottom of the second inning.
After Tyree Thompson came in and pitched a scoreless fourth, Casanova struck again, lining his second homer of the season off the batter’s eye in center field to make it 4-0. The GreenJackets added another run off an RBI double from Jeremy Celedonio in the fourth and an RBI groundout from Bryson Worrell in the fifth to push the lead to 6-0.
Jhancarlos Lara pitched three innings of no-hit ball, but struggled mightily entering his fourth inning of work, giving up four runs while walking four in the top of the eighth. Chad Bryant relieved him, but walked five batters of his own, as the GreenJackets surrendered the lead in the top of inning number nine after nine walks over two innings. Trailing 7-6, David McCabe hit a leadoff triple in the bottom of the ninth, and Justin Janas singled him home to tie it at 7.
In the tenth inning, Elison Joseph (W, 3-1) was able to strand the ghost runner at third, setting up the GreenJackets with a tie game in the bottom of the tenth. With runners on first and second, Jeremy Celedonio singled to right, and Jair Casanova scored from second as the GreenJackets picked up their first walk-off win of the season.
The win means the GreenJackets have won seven of their last eight games. Additionally, the team has now scored eight runs in three straight games. Augusta is now 4-1 in extra innings all season. The series with Charleston continues tomorrow at 7:05 at SRP Park. Starters have not yet been announced. For tickets, information on promotions, and more, visit greenjacketsbaseball.com!
