GreenJackets Disappoint as Pelicans Complete Series Sweep

July 28, 2024 – Carolina League (CarL)
Augusta GreenJackets press release

MYRTLE BEACH, SC: The Pelicans’ early charge proved too much to handle in the final game of the series. Myrtle Beach led from the first inning and won 8-5, completing a 5-game series victory.

The Augusta rotation had a prominent guest for Sunday’s game, with Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep continuing his recovery from an elbow issue by making a rehab start for the GreenJackets. Waldrep focused primarily on offspeed command in his two innings of work, resulting in four strikeouts. He was greeted rudely in the first, however, when Leonel Espinoza hit a ground ball off the glove of Luis Sanchez for a double. Jacob Wetzel drew a walk and Andy Garriola crushed a hanging slider for a 2-run double and an early lead they would not relinquish.

The GreenJackets showed immediate fighting spirit at the top of the second, when Harry Owen walked and advanced on a wild pitch from erratic starter JP Wheat, who raced home on a two-out double by Luis Sanchez. A bloop single and wild pitch scored two more by Waldrep in the second, with Augusta coming back with two of their own. Wheat walked three and hit one in the third before being relieved by Angel Hernandez, who left the bases loaded after hitting a man off him to keep Myrtle ahead 5-3.

In a battle of the bullpens, the Pelicans had the advantage, and it showed in the middle innings as the home team collected insurance runs. Reibyn Corona pitched a scoreless third, but the Pelicans hammered out four runs in three innings against David Rodriguez, making his full season debut. Rodriguez allowed seven hits, five of which came in a three-run sixth inning inspired by a long solo blast by Wetzel, his eighth long ball of the year.

The combination of Hernandez, Vince Reilly, and Kenyi Perez shut down the GreenJacket offense from innings 4-8, allowing the Pelicans to build a 5-run lead in the 9th inning. Shane Marshall came on in a non-save situation and saw more traffic than he expected. Sanchez singled to lead off the frame and Noah Williams dug in and hit his first home run since 2022 over the fence in right field to make it 8-5. Williams went 4-11 in 3 games played at Pelicans Ballpark, hitting for the cycle over the course of the series. No further offense was mounted against Marshall and the Pelicans secured their 5th consecutive victory over the GreenJackets.

Myrtle Beach now hits the road for a 12-game road trip, first to Salisbury, MD to take on the Delmarva Shorebirds and then to Kinston, NC on the way home to take on the Down East Wood Ducks. The GreenJackets finally return home on July 30th, hosting the Wood Ducks for the first and only time in their final season before moving to Spartanburg. Tickets for the week’s slate of games can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com or by calling 803-349-9467.

• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board…

The opinions expressed in this press release are those of the organization issuing the press release and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.