Wildness costs GreenJackets

The Augusta GreenJackets' bullpen was nearly perfect through four innings of relief Thursday night against the Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs. But a leadoff walk in their fifth inning and a wild pitch for ball four of a two-out walk by Argimiro Guanchez gave the RiverDogs a 3-2 win in 12 innings at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

Guanchez walked Colt Simmons to start the 12th, and Mitch Jones pinch ran for the catcher. Jason St. Clair advanced Jones with a sacrifice bunt, and Jones moved to third on a groundout by Mark Schleicher. Guanchez's fourth ball to Tommy Nichols bounced away from catcher Jon de Vries as Jones scored the go-ahead run.

The RiverDogs (19-5) had a chance to take the lead in the 11th, but reliever Michael Dennison got himself out of trouble. Nate Dion led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Elliot Johnson. Jason Pridie's groundout moved Dion to third and Dennison intentionally walked RiverDogs RBI leader Delmon Young. But Dennison got Wes Bankston to ground out to Dirimo Chavez at third to end the threat.

Augusta's Brandon Moss, the South Atlantic League's RBI and batting leader, helped force the game to extra innings in the seventh. Ian Cronkhite legged out a bunt single, and Dustin Pedroia singled to left to put runners at first and second with two outs for Moss. The left-handed hitter responded with a shot through the right side that scored Cronkhite to tie the game at 2-2. It was Moss' 93rd RBI of the season.

Starter Jarrett Gardner cruised through the first five innings for the GreenJackets (15-18), but ran into trouble in the sixth. After retiring eight in a row, Gardner gave up a leadoff double to Nate Dion. Elliot Johnson sacrificed Dion to third and Dion gave the RiverDogs a 1-0 lead on a double by Jason Pridie. Delmon Young made it 2-0 with an RBI single up the middle.

The GreenJackets got one back in the bottom of the sixth, but squandered a chance to tie it. Pedroia drilled a one-out single off the body of reliever Aaron Gangi. Pedroia took second on a steal thanks to a high throw by Gangi. .

A wild pitch by Gangi sent Pedroia to third and then Gangi walked the next three GreenJackets. De Vries' bases-loaded walk cut the RiverDogs' lead to 2-1. But Mickey Hall struck out for the second time in the game and 101st time for the season to strand three.

Kyle Jackson was perfect in his first appearance out of the bullpen for the GreenJackets. The hard-throwing right-hander relieved the control pitcher Gardner in the seventh inning and struck out three, walked none and gave up no hits in three innings.

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

STAR OF THE GAME: Charleston reliever Tony Perez worked the final three innings for the win.

KEY PLAY: Argimiro Guanchez threw a wild pitch in the 12th that allowed the winning run to score.

TONIGHT'S GAME: 7:15, Charleston, S.C., at GreenJackets