May 8, 2008

Augusta, GA – The Augusta GreenJackets (20-15) needed a late inning rally to beat the Columbus Catfish (14-20) Thursday night as Augusta came away with a 6-4 victory. Garrett Baker and Angel Villalona each drove in a pair of runs and the bullpen held Columbus off the board for 4.1 innings.

Augusta rallied from one run down in the seventh inning plating three runs with two outs for a 6-4 lead. Thomas Neal, Baker and Villalona had consecutive RBI singles in the half inning to put Augusta on top.

Andrew De La Garza (2-0) recorded the win in relief working 2.1 scoreless innings and allowing one hit. The lefty did not walk a batter and struck out two.

Daniel Otero recorded his seventh save of the season working a scoreless ninth and allowing two hits. Otero struck out the final batter of the game leaving runners on second and third.

The Catfish took a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning plating two runs on four hits off of starter Craig Clark. Maiko Loyola and Shawn O’Malley had back-to-back RBI singles for the Catfish.

Clark pitched 4.2 innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits for the no-decision. Clark also walked one and struck out five.

Augusta jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double from Brock Bond scoring Shane Jordan from first base.

Columbus rallied back with a run in the second inning when Henry Wrigley connected for a two-out RBI single tying the game at 1-1.

Villalona broke the tie in the second with his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, giving Augusta a 2-1 lead. The GreenJackets made it 3-1 in the third inning on an RBI single from Baker.

The Catfish got a run back in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Reid Fronk.

Orlando Yntema worked one scoreless inning in relief of Clark and allowed one hit, two walks and struck out one. Yntema recorded the final out in the fifth inning leaving two runners in scoring position.

The GreenJackets and Catfish continue their series Friday night. Augusta will send right-hander Daryl Maday (2-1, 1.13) to the mound for his first start of the season. The Catfish counter with right-hander Jason Ragan (4-2, 3.38). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Game Notes:

Augusta is five games over the .500 mark, the high water mark for the season.

The GreenJackets have won nine straight games for the first time since opening the 2007 season with 12 straight wins.

Daniel Otero has not allowed a run over his 15.1 innings pitched this season.

Brock Bond extended his hitting streak to a season high 18 games.