With less than three weeks left in the first half of the regular season, the hunt for a first-half South Atlantic League Southern Division championship appears to be a three-team race. The Augusta GreenJackets, last year's first-half champs, are one of those teams.

The Charleston RiverDogs entered last week in first place, but three losses in a row to Augusta left the Asheville Tourists to grab the top spot. The GreenJackets (31-20) are 31/2 games out of first.

Most minor leaguers are more interested in moving up to the big leagues than winning a Class A title, but GreenJackets second baseman Nick Noonan said team accolades still matter.

"I know some guys check the standings online and are always updating the rest of the team," he said. "It's important for us to keep climbing that ladder back up to the top."

The GreenJackets were closer to the bottom of the Southern Division standings less than a month ago, when a five-game losing streak put them 91/2 games out of first place. Since then, they've gone 19-6, including a nine-game winning streak.

GreenJackets manager Andy Skeels said the primary goal of any minor league team is player development, but that doesn't mean winning isn't important.

"Part of development is learning how to win," he said. "Certainly, we're invested in trying to learn how to play the game, and winning becomes a by-product of that. ... If someone's keeping score, I want to win."

MOVING UP: After leading the GreenJackets in wins, reliever Joe Paterson was called up to Advanced-A San Jose last week in exchange for reliever Ryan Paul . Paterson, the Giants' 10th selection in last year's draft, hasn't allowed a hit in 1Q innings since the promotion.

Paul hasn't given up a run in 1Q innings pitched with Augusta.

WHO'S HOT: GreenJackets reliever Daniel Otero still hasn't given up a run this season. In 19 appearances, the right-hander has 13 saves in 20w innings pitched. He's recorded a save in each of his past 10 outings.

WHO'S NOT: Shortstop Charlie Culberson is in an 0-for-13 slump over his past five games. He lost his starting job last week and hasn't cracked the lineup since.

WHO'S BACK: Injuries kept outfielder Francisco Peguero from playing early in the season. In the team's first 39 games, he only played in 18, and the 19-year-old Dominican Republic native said it was no fun on the bench.

"For me, it was hard, because I came from the Dominican Republic with the purpose of playing," he said through an interpreter. "It feels great to finally be playing, and I'm looking forward to being out there every day."

Peguero said he's 100 percent healthy now, and Skeels said he has a spot in the everyday lineup.

"He's a young kid who has no experience over here," Skeels said. "What he's done to this point is quite impressive."

Peguero went 9-for-19 with a home run and four RBI in a recent four-game road trip in Columbus. He entered Memorial Day hitting .311 in his past 10 games.