Courtesy The Augusta GreenJackets
NORTH AUGUSTA – A rainout in the middle of Thursday’s contest between the Augusta GreenJackets (21-22) and Myrtle Beach Pelicans (32-11), brought upon a Friday doubleheader between the two clubs. which did not go Augusta’s way as the Pelicans won both games to sweep the GreenJackets and take the first four games of the series.
In game one, the Pelicans scored quickly in the first inning thanks to a pair of two-run home runs off the bat of Juan Mora and B.J. Murray Jr. to make it 4-0 Myrtle Beach after an inning of play.
They’d add on two more runs in the next inning on an RBI single by James Triantos and a sacrifice fly off Kevin Alcantara to elevate the lead to 6-0 for the Pelicans.
Luis Vargas would settle things down out of the bullpen for the GreenJackets by pitching consecutive scoreless frames in the third and fourth inning.
That set up Augusta’s first scoring opportunity with two outs in the bottom of the fourth with Brandol Mezquita singling, extending his on-base streak to 33 games. The next batter, Mahki Backstrom would deliver the goods with a two-run homer on an 0-2 pitch over the right-field wall to get the GreenJackets back into the game at 6-2.
After Luis Vargas dealt another scoreless inning in the fifth, the elements took over and rain hit SRP Park sending the game into a weather delay, eventually leading the game to a suspension.
When the game resumed on Friday night, Myrtle Beach picked up right where they left off by scoring a pair of runs in the sixth on a two-run homer by Pete Crow-Armstrong to put the Pelicans ahead 8-2.
The GreenJackets scored one in the bottom half of the inning as a base-hit by Adam Zebrowski led to a throwing error, bringing home Stephen Paolini to make it an 8-3 game.
Augusta was unable to get any closer as Myrtle Beach scored three more times in the ninth with two of them scoring on the Pelicans’ fourth home run of the game off the bat of Felix Stevens.
The GreenJackets would come up short despite two ninth-inning runs as Myrtle Beach finished off the suspended game with an 11-5 victory.
Game two was a pitcher’s duel between Landon Leach and Tyler Santana for the Pelicans as the game was scoreless through the first two frames until the GreenJackets broke the tie with an RBI double by Cal Conley to give the GreenJackets a 1-0 lead. Conley would then work his way around the bases by stealing third and then dashed home on a wild pitch to make it a 2-0 Augusta lead.
That score would hold until the fifth inning when the Pelicans got on the board with another long ball, this one coming from Miguel Fabrizio to cut the deficit to one on the solo homer. Leach would get through the rest of the inning unscathed.
Isrrael De La Cruz took over for the sixth and completed it in four batters to keep the lead 2-1 for Augusta heading into the seventh.
With three outs to get, the Pelicans would break the hearts of the GreenJackets and their fans during BuzzFest as Reginald Preciado knocked a go-ahead two-run home run off of Rob Griswold to put Myrtle Beach ahead, and that would be the difference in the game as the Pelicans shutdown Augusta in the seventh to sweep the double-header, 3-2, and also winning their franchise-best 12th game in a row.
The GreenJackets will look to get on their first win of the series on Saturday night as J.J. Niekro takes the mound for Augusta versus Richard Gallardo of Myrtle Beach. The opening pitch comes from SRP Park at 6:05 pm.
The fourth homestand of the season for the Augusta GreenJackets continues against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs) continues with on Saturday as soccer night takes over SRP Park with a GreenJackets rally scarf for the first 1,000 guests presented by Coca Cola Bottling Company of Augusta. The White Claw Pregame Concert Series continues on Saturday and Sunday with music from Adam Harris Thompson on Saturday, and Jason White on Sunday with both performing from 4:30-5:30 each night. The homestand ends with a Mega Memorial Day Fireworks Show following Sunday’s 6:05 game against the Pelicans you will not want to miss.
