Jackets can't climb back

The Capital City Bombers continued to prove worthy of the top spot in the South Atlantic League Southern Division on Tuesday night.

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The first-half champion Bombers answered every rally attempt and beat the Augusta GreenJackets 8-5 at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

Greg Ramirez picked up his 10th save of the year by getting himself out of trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning. Down three, the GreenJackets (10-15) sent the tying run to the plate three times, and Ramirez sent all three back to the dugout.

"That's been the story here for a while - not getting the timely hits," said Augusta shortstop Zach Borowiak, who had two doubles and one RBI.

Augusta manager Chad Epperson was feeling pretty good after Robert Evans and Dustin Pedroia led off the ninth with singles. Epperson had the meat of his lineup coming to the plate in the form of Brandon Moss, Scott White and Jon de Vries.

"You've got to like your chances," Epperson said.

But with Evans at third and Pedroia at first trailing 8-5, the GreenJackets went down 1-2-3. Moss, the South Atlantic League leader in batting (.360) and RBI (88), struck out swinging. White, the GreenJackets next best hitter at .269, hit a soft pop up to first and de Vries struck out for the third time to end the game.

"I'm surprised we didn't score at least one," Epperson said. "But I think they were thinking three the whole way."

Capital City (16-8) designated hitter Yunir Garcia may or may not have been thinking three the whole way in the fourth inning, but that's what he got. Garcia broke the game open when he took Gary Galvez deep over the left-field fence. Garcia's three-run blast put the Bombers up 5-2, and they never relinquished the lead, despite several rallies by Augusta.

The closest the GreenJackets came the rest of the way was in the bottom of the fifth when they scored two. Pedroia, who was making his Lake Olmstead debut, scored the first run of the inning on a baserunning mistake by de Vries, who singled to shallow right. De Vries rounded first too widely and right fielder Jamar Hill fired the ball to first baseman Andy Wilson, who started to chase de Vries.

But when Pedroia started toward home plate, Wilson threw home. Pedroia made a great slide around catcher Brandon Wilson's tag and the base, and then beat the catcher back to the plate for the run. De Vries went to second on the throw home and scored on a single up the middle by Justin McClain to cut the lead to 5-4.

The Bombers added an unearned run in the sixth. Jesus Linares hit a two-out grounder, which first baseman McClain fielded, but Galvez did not cover first and Linares ended up with a single. Linares moved to second when Galvez's throw over hit him in the leg and rolled away. Despite limping to second, Linares beat Galvez's throw.

Blake Whealy tripled home Jamar Hill in the seventh and scored on a wild pitch by reliever Milton Tavarez for an 8-4 lead."Once you score and somebody comes back like that," Borowiak said, "it's tough to deal with."

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