Courtesy The Augusta GreenJackets
The second home series of the year for the Augusta GreenJackets (8-8) began with Education Day at SRP Park with an 11:05 a.m. game against the Delmarva Shorebirds (5-11), and it would be an entertaining battle to begin the week as the GreenJackets produced their first walk-off win of the season with a game-winning home run by Cal Conley in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Delmarva, 3-1.
Royber Salines got the call as the starter, and it was another day at the office for the right-hander as he worked four innings on the mound. All 12 of the outs he recorded in the game were strikeouts – his third game with double-digit strikeouts. He did not allow a run or a hit in his four innings.
His mound opponent Shane Davis also delivered a good game on the mound as he kept the GreenJackets off the board in his four innings of work, denying Augusta of multiple scoring opportunities by stranding seven baserunners during that stretch.
But the 0-0 tie would be broken in the fifth inning thanks to Brandol Mezquita who tripled to left-center field to score Cal Conley all the way from first base with two outs making it 1-0 Augusta.
JJ Niekro took over for Salinas in the fifth inning and he continued to shine on the hill by covering 3.1 innings with 4 strikeouts as he took the game all the way into the eighth inning with the game still 1-0. Delmarva would finally crack the scoreboard in the eighth, however, with a solo home run from Davis Tavarez that evened the score.
Almost immediately after the homer, rain came over SRP Park and sent the game into a weather delay for a half hour. The game resumed in the top of the eighth with Benjamin Dum pitching for Augusta and he took care of business by retiring the next two batters to end the inning.
After the GreenJackets came up empty in the bottom half of the inning, Dum toed the slap once again in the ninth inning and handled the Shorebirds 1-2-3 to get the game to the bottom frame still tied.
Only two batters were necessary for Augusta in their half of the ninth as Geraldo Quintero reached on error to start the inning, and then it was Cal Conley delivering the goods for the GreenJackets with a walk-off home run over the left-field wall. The homer was Conley’s third of the season and the first at SRP Park for Augusta as it was a perfect ending to begin the second homestand.
The GreenJackets will go for their third straight win on Wednesday with AJ Smith-Shawver scheduled to start for Augusta versus Daniel Federman for Delmarva. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
The second homestand of the season continues at SRP Park for the GreenJackets with more fun promotions including Warrior Wednesday, Thirsty Thursday, Feature Friday, and Braves BUZZFest. The excitement continues over the weekend with live pre-game music on Saturday from Brett Lundy with $4 White Claws until first pitch, and another Fireworks Extravaganza following the game. The homestand concludes with a team photo giveaway for the first 2,000 fans presented by Augusta University Health, Children’s Hospital of Georgia, Kona Ice, & Putt-Putt Ice Fun Center. Also, be sure to bring your dog to the park for Bark in the Park on Sunday presented by Hollywood Feed!
The Augusta GreenJackets are the Single-A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves playing in the state of the art SRP Park located in North Augusta, SC. 2022 Augusta GreenJackets season seat memberships are on sale now. To learn more about the benefits and to get in on the action, visit www.gjmembers.comor call (803) 349-WINS (9467).
