4/15/12

Savannah 6, Augusta 0

The people came but the hitting never did for the Augusta GreenJackets. In front of 5,858 - the largest single-game crowd in GreenJackets history - Augusta was held to just three hits in their second straight shutout loss, dropping a 6-0 decision to the Savannah Sand Gnats on Saturday night.


Savannah scored all six of their runs in the fourth inning, sending 11 hitters to the plate in the process. Despite scoring six times, the Gnats got just two hits in the inning as Augusta pitchers walked five and a fielding error benefitted the Gnats as well. Charley Thurber's RBI groundout plated a run, a wild pitch brought home another, a dropped fly ball scored two more and TJ Rivera's two-run triple capped the six-run frame.


The long inning chased Augusta starter Kyle Crick, making his home debut and just his second professional start. Crick (0-1) surrendered five runs - two earned - on five hits and five walks while striking out three. For the second straight night, Augusta pitchers issued nine walks.


Savannah starter Domingo Tapia had all the support he needed and delivered a gem in return. Tapia (1-0) allowed only three hits in seven scoreless innings. He didn't issue a walk and he fanned a career-best eight. Those three hits accounted for Augusta's only three baserunners as Marcos Camarena followed with two perfect innings to finish for Savannah.


The Gnats recorded just four hits in the game themselves and were held off the board with solid relief work from the quartet of Bryce Bandilla, Scotty Walker, Andrew Berger and Cody Hall, all of whom combined to hold Savannah scoreless on two hits over the game's final 5.1 innings.


The GreenJackets will look to salvage their second straight series split with Savannah on Sunday, sending Joseph Biagini (0-0, 4.50) to the mound to face Tyler Pill (0-0, 0.00). First pitch comes at 2:05 p.m. with radio pregame coverage beginning at 1:50 p.m. on ESPN Radio 1340 AM and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com. Single-game tickets for any GreenJackets home game are currently available by calling the GreenJackets front office at 706-922-WINS and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.

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