Jackets snap losing streak

Too many times this season, the Augusta GreenJackets have failed to come up with a hit with the bases loaded.

Just Thursday night, the GreenJackets were down two with the bases loaded and managed just one run on a bases-loaded walk. They lost the game in 12 innings.

The GreenJackets had no such problems Friday night against the Charleston (S.C.) RiverDogs.

Augusta scored seven runs with the bases loaded and beat Charleston, 10-2 at Lake Olmstead Stadium, ending a four-game losing streak.

"Whoo, very nice," said Augusta manager Chad Epperson with a smile.

Zach Borowiak wrapped up the bases-loaded scoring with a triple in the eighth that landed about 2 feet shy from being a grand slam. He capped the scoring on an RBI groundout by Dustin Pedroia.

But Borowiak wasn't the only GreenJacket cashing in on RBI with the bases loaded. Mickey Hall, who stranded the bases full Thursday night, roped a two-run single to right field in the third to give the GreenJackets a 4-0 lead. Scott White followed suit in the fourth inning with a two-run shot up the middle to put Augusta up 6-0.

"All year we're up and down getting timely hits," Borowiak said. "It was bound to happen sometime and tonight we came out and got hits when we needed them."

Both Borowiak's and Hall's hits wound up ending the innings after Tim Burgess was thrown out trying to advance to third on the throw home in the third and Pedroia was out at home in the fourth. Those outs didn't end up mattering.

"We all felt pretty confident today and we just came out and swung," said catcher Jon de Vries, who put the GreenJackets (16-19) up 1-0 in the second with a single up the middle.

The RiverDogs started off hot against Augusta starter Gary Galvez. Back-to-back singles in the first brought up RBI leaders Delmon Young and Wes Bankston with no outs, but Galvez struck both out, and de Vries nailed Elliot Johnson at third for a strike-him-out-throw-him-out that set the tone for the rest of the game.

While his offense was scoring runs behind him, Galvez (6-7) strolled along on the mound for Augusta. The right-hander scattered six hits over six innings and didn't give up a run until Bankston took him deep in the sixth. The run snapped a 12-inning scoreless streak for Galvez, who threw seven shutout innings in his last start. Carlos Morla threw the final three innings for Augusta for his first save.

Jino Gonzalez (7-5) took the loss for the RiverDogs. The left-hander gave up six runs on eight hits in four innings. Three Charleston pitchers combined to walk five batters and hit four more. Two of the walks and one of the hit batters were on base in the eighth for Borowiak's triple. Two more batters who walked and one other who was hit scored for the GreenJackets.

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

STAR OF THE GAME: After giving up just a solo home run in six innings, Augusta starter Gary Galvez has allowed one run in his past 13 innings.

KEY PLAY: Jon de Vries and Galvez combined for a strike-him-out-throw-him-out double play in the first inning that stopped the RiverDogs' offense before it could get started.

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