Amid all the hoopla of the nearly rained-out Fourth of July festivities at Lake Olmstead Stadium, the Augusta GreenJackets won their fifth consecutive game and seventh in a row at home Friday night.

The game may have taken a back seat to the weather, but the GreenJackets have planted themselves firmly in the South Atlantic League driver's seat.

Through 16 games in the second half of the season, the GreenJackets own the best record in the SAL. Their 13-3 mark leads the Southern Division by 21/2 games over the Columbus Catfish and Kannapolis Intimidators, who were both 10-5 entering Saturday's games.

"I think it's a matter of preparation," GreenJackets manager Andy Skeels said. "The better prepared you can be and the harder you work, it comes back to you."

The GreenJackets got Friday's win, which didn't end until 11:09 p.m. after a 92-minute rain delay, despite blowing a 2-0 lead. Starter Madison Bumgarner shut out Charleston through the first four innings, but gave up three consecutive singles to lead off the fifth and left at the end of the inning with the game tied at 2-2.

Augusta reclaimed the lead in the sixth with five hits, including doubles from Thomas Neal and Elio Sarmiento. Neal's two- bagger, which scored Nick Noonan and Garrett Baker, extended his season-high hitting streak to 13 games.

Reliever Wilmin Rodriguez (1-0) earned the win after allowing one hit in three scoreless innings. Charleston's Ryan Zink (1-2) took the loss in relief.

The GreenJackets have won seven consecutive series. They entered Saturday night's game with a shot at their sixth series sweep this season, but that game also ran into weather problems. Threatening storms delayed the game, which was scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. start, by 38 minutes.

- Only one game at Lake Olmstead Stadium has been rained out this season. The Saturday game on opening weekend against the Greenville Drive was postponed. The GreenJackets and Drive played a doubleheader the next day, splitting the games in front of a combined crowd of 5,362.

- Neal's 13-game hitting streak entering Saturday's game has proved to be quite a turnaround. The 20-year old designated hitter was on an 0-for-15 slide on June 22 before going 17-for-49 (.347) with 12 RBI and 14 runs.

- Augusta is off today before hitting the road for four-game series in Lakewood, N.J., (Lakewood BlueClaws) and then visiting Salisbury, Md., (Delmarva Shorebirds).