Posted: 7:09 PM Jul 27, 2012
Reporter: Staff

Friday July 27, 2012

Augusta, GA – The Augusta GreenJackets got the longest outing of Bryce Bandilla’s season and a bullpen that struck out five in three scoreless innings at the end of the night as the GreenJackets claimed the opener of a three-game series against the Hickory Crawdads. With the 3-2 win, the GreenJackets have now earned back-to-back victories after a five-game losing streak.

Trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning, the GreenJackets began to do their damage against Hickory starter Will Lamb in their second trip through the batting order. Held to just one hit against Lamb the first time through, the GreenJackets loaded the bases against Lamb in the fourth on a pair of hits and a walk. Ben Thomas ripped a two-run single up the middle to tie the game at two. The GreenJackets had runners at second and third with one out in the fourth, but couldn’t break the 2-2 tie.

The GreenJackets wouldn’t have to wait long to break that tie as they pushed the go-ahead run across the plate an inning later. With runners at first and second and one out in the fifth inning, Joe Staley’s seeing-eye single through the left side plated Jose Flores from second with the go-ahead run to give the GreenJackets a 3-2 edge.

Bryce Bandilla (2-4) gave the GreenJackets his longest outing of the season in the win with six strong innings. The Crawdads struck first on Bandilla in the second – his only rough inning of the six. With one out and runners at the corners, Drew Robinson’s triple to right-center plated both runners to give Hickory a 2-0 lead. Bandilla settled down after the second and allowed only those two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out a pair.

The GreenJackets handed their 3-2 lead to the bullpen in the seventh. Derek Law retired six of the seven he faced to get the game in the hands of Augusta closer Cody Hall. The South Atlantic League saves leader came through again for the GreenJackets, retiring three of the four he faced in the ninth to earn his 20th save of the season.

The win is Augusta’s 25th one-run victory – a league-leading total – and makes half of their 50 overall wins by only a one-run margin.

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