NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: Rayven Antonio continues to love pitching at home, and limited the Mudcats to just one run in six strong innings as Augusta took a 5-3 final for their fourth straight defeat of Carolina.
Antonio has now allowed just three runs in his last four starts at home, totaling 23.2 innings pitched. Rayven’s win was his third start of the year, and secured his team-high 7th win of the season.
Augusta’s offense got going against rising star Ethan Dorchies in the bottom of the 3rd, handing the righty his first earned runs since the middle of June.
Hayden Friese began the inning by picking up his first professional hit, and Douglas Glod followed him with a walk. Joe Olsavsky brought both men home on one swing with a two-run triple, and scored himself on a Juan Mateo sac fly for a three-run advantage.
Carolina finally cracked Antonio in the top of the 5th, using a ground ball from Pedro Ibarguen to score Tyler Rodriguez from third.
Antonio would allow a two-out double to Yannic Walther, but held firm to strand the man aboard. Augusta’s offense wasted no time responding, as Eric Hartman cracked a solo homer to the top of the TaxSlayer Terrace in right field, earning the run right back.
The Mudcats were elated to see Antonio depart, and attempted to bridge the gap against Seth Keller in the 7th. Keller allowed a walk to Rodriguez, who swiped second and scored on Ibarguen’s two-out single.
Another walk put the tying run aboard, but Keller struck out Luis Pena to hold the lead.
The GreenJackets retaliated once more the next half inning, as Douglas Glod muscled a two-out home run off of Jayden Dubanewicz for Augusta’s final run.
Albert Rivas was summoned for the six-out save, and despite running into some trouble in the 9th (allowing a run and walking the bases loaded with two outs), he was able to secure the victory and the series win.
Augusta has now won four straight games against the North Division’s top team, and can chase Carolina with another win Sunday, Aug. 3, on the back of Owen Hackman.
Sunday will be the final ever game at SRP Park for the Mudcats, who will move to Wilson, North Carolina next year and rebrand as the Warbirds.
