CHARLESTON, SC: Joe Olsavsky’s first Augusta home run of the year came at a momentous time, breaking a scoreless tie in the top of the 6th with a mammoth two-run blast in a 4-1 win Friday evening.
The GreenJacket offense had plenty of chances early, putting a man on base in every inning against Trey Pooser, but could not cross the plate as Pooser stranded six men aboard.
On the opposite side, Logan Forsythe did not allow a hit in his first pro start across 2.1 innings, but 3 walks saw him depart in the 3rd in favor of Luis Sifontes.
Sifontes made things interesting, issuing a pair of two-out walks to load the bases, but induced a pop up from Brody Donay to keep it scoreless.
Sifontes would hit his stride as soon as he returned to the mound, and worked a career high 4.2 innings while scattering six strikeouts and picking off two runners as well.
He became the pitcher of record in the 6th, when Olsavsky went deep off of Pooser to put the Jackets up 2-0.
Charleston retaliated in the very next inning, continuing a trend of getting on the board immediately after Augusta takes a lead this week.
Connor Hujsak looped a one-out single to right, and took second on a deep fly out. Hujsak stole 3rd immediately, and came home on a base hit from Tom Poole to cut the deficit in half.
With Charleston back within a run, the GreenJackets answered in the top of the 7th against reliever Bryce Shaffer. Eric Hartman began the inning with a perfect bunt single, and a wild pitch plus an infield single for Tate Southisene put men at the corners with nobody out.
Hartman would score on a Dixon Williams sacrifice fly, and Douglas Glod added a key piece of insurance with a two-out double off the center field wall for a 4-1 lead.
The three-run lead would prove to be enough, as Sifontes retired the side in the bottom of the 7th and secured his first Single-A win in the process.
Owen Hackman took the ball behind him, and delivered a pair of hitless innings to collect his first professional save.
With tonight’s win, the GreenJackets have snapped their longest losing streak of the year, and picked up their first victory of the week in Charleston.
Victory will be difficult Saturday, Aug. 30, as the RiverDogs hand the ball to their ace Jose Urbina, but Augusta will give the ball to Landon Beidelschies in his professional debut for a chance to keep the momentum going.
