*North Augusta, SC* – The Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) led wire-to-wire on Friday night, beating the Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) for the seventh consecutive meeting in a 4-1 victory. The Red Sox (23-35, 53-68) were held to just five baserunners on the day, while the GreenJackets (27-31, 58-65) got a brilliant debut from Riley Gowens and multi-hit games from Ambioris Tavarez, Cam Magee, and Tyler Collins in the win.
Riley Gowens toed the rubber for his affiliated baseball debut, and looked like a seasoned pro as the Illinois man retired the side in order in the first. Cam Magee doubled off of Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz in the bottom of the frame before Sabin Ceballos singled him home, putting Augusta in front early. The GreenJackets doubled their advantage on Tyler Collins’ 45th RBI in the second inning, as the Texan drove home Pier-Olivier Boucher to make it 2-0.
Gowens did not allow a baserunner until Albertson Asigen singled with two outs in the third, before Jacob Godman caught him stealing on the next pitch. Gowans faced the minimum in his first four innings of work, while Augusta’s offense added another run on an Ambioris Tavarez RBI double in the bottom of the fourth. Gowans was removed with two men aboard and two outs in the fourth. Cory Wall was his replacement, and despite giving up a run-scoring single to Albert Feliz, the former William & Mary man got the next out to send the game to the bottom of the fifth at 3-1.
Wall retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh, before a Drew Compton triple and a Kade Kern single pushed across another Augusta run after the stretch. Up 4-1, Wall struck out the side in the eighth, capping off a stellar outing of 3.1 scoreless innings. Giomar Diaz entered for the ninth and retired the side in order on just ten pitches to pick up his second save of the series, as Augusta clinched their seventh straight victory over Salem and pushed their home win streak to a season-high four in a row.
Augusta wraps up the 2023 home slate this weekend! The GreenJackets take on the Salem Red Sox from now until Sunday in the last home series of the season. Don’t miss out on your final chance to see the 2023 GreenJackets in action! To purchase tickets and learn more about the upcoming promotions, games, and more, visit https://www.milb.com/augusta/fans/gj-homestand-preview..
