Errors do in Jackets once again

The GreenJackets have made 127 errors this season. The Asheville Tourists have made 76.

Augusta made two errors Saturday night; Asheville didn't make any.

Those two errors led to five of the Tourists' six runs as Asheville beat the GreenJackets 6-3 at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

The win assures Asheville (10-6) of at least a split in the series, which continues through Monday, and gives the GreenJackets (4-12) their third loss in a row.

The two starters - Asheville's Alberto Arias and Augusta's Adam Blackley - pitched to a 2-2 tie. Arias held the GreenJackets hitless for 4q innings and allowed four hits, walked three and struck out three. Blackley, who made his first start with Augusta on July 4, gave up no earned runs and five hits, walked two and struck out four in 5q.

The Tourists broke the tie in the seventh. Augusta reliever Carlos Morla gave up a leadoff single to Jordan Czarniecki and then threw the ball away on an attempted sacrifice bunt by Ian Stewart. The error left Czarniecki at third and Stewart at second. Czarniecki scored on an infield single by Christian Colonel to give Asheville a 3-2 lead.

Morla got Eddie Montague to pop up to Dirimo Chavez for the first out and Michael Dennison came in to get Luis Guance to pop up for out No. 2.

But Trey George's single to left scored two more for a 5-2 lead. Simon Ferrer ended the inning with a flyout to center field.

The Tourists' only earned run came on a single by Colonel in the eighth inning, giving Asheville its final 6-3 advantage.

Both starters cruised along until the fifth inning. The Tourists used a Scott White throwing error to kick off the fifth. Neil Wilson reached on the error and moved to second on Ferrer's sacrifice bunt. After a fly out, Wilson scored on a single by Stewart for a 1-0 Asheville lead. Ferrer scored from second on a wild pitch by Blackley that went to the backstop.

Blackley struck out Colonel to end the threat.

Zach Borowiak finally broke through with a hit off Arias with one out in the fifth. Borowiak's single went through the left side and moved Clint Chauncey, who walked, to second. Both advanced on a wild pitch by Arias.

Ian Cronkhite put the GreenJackets on the board with a sacrifice fly to deep right center that scored Chauncey.

Blackley walked Montague to start the sixth.

He was thrown out when an apparent hit-and-run failed after Guance couldn't make contact on Blackley's outside pitch. Guance drew a walk and Morla replaced Blackley.

Morla walked the bases loaded, but escaped damage with a strikeout and groundout.

The GreenJackets tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on consecutive singles to right by Brandon Moss, Tim Burgess and White.

Moss scored on White's single, but after Mickey Hall walked to load the bases, Chauncey struck out and Borowiak grounded out to strand the runners.

Tourists 6, Greenjackets 3

Star of the game: Trey George's two-run single in the seventh gave the Tourists' bullpen a cushion.

Key play: The GreenJackets had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth and could not score. They also made two errors that led to five of the Tourists' six runs.

Today's game: 2:15, Tourists at GreenJackets.

Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3216 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com