Stretch of bad weather means makeup game

Augusta GreenJackets manager Dave Machemer woke up in his hotel room Monday morning to clear and sunny skies in Asheville, N.C.

The good weather came after two days of the exact opposite. The GreenJackets' series with the Asheville Tourists was plagued by rain. Saturday's game was suspended in the top of the fourth, and Sunday's game never got started.

Even a partial doubleheader Monday night left the two teams one game short of finishing their scheduled four-game series. That game, Sunday's rainout, could be played as a doubleheader when the Tourists travel to Lake Olmstead Stadium early next week.

Machemer said the main concern with a stretch of multiple rainouts is in the pitching rotation.

"You just hope you don't start a game when you know you're going to have to stop it (because of the rain)," he said. "You end up burning a pitcher. But we didn't even get started Sunday. We still got some work in, hitting in the cage, and the pitchers got out and threw."

GreenJackets broadcasting and media relations director Eric Little said the South Atlantic League prohibits teams from playing doubleheaders at the beginning and end of a series. Little said the next available make-up date for the two teams will come either Monday, when a Memorial Day game is scheduled at Lake Olmstead Stadium, or Tuesday of that week.

NICE CURVES: Before the rain delays hit, the GreenJackets got their best performance of the season out of starter Eric Surkamp during a 5-1 victory. The lefty from North Carolina State allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings. He struck out 10 Tourist batters to pick up his second win of the season.

"He pitched the best he's pitched all year," Machemer said. "He had his curve ball working. They were swinging at it, he was smart enough to keep throwing it and (GreenJackets catcher) Johnny Monell was smart enough to keep calling for it."

CLOSE CALL: GreenJackets reliever Chris Wilson had a medical scare over the weekend. The right-hander finished off the final two innings of Surkamp's victory Friday but expressed some discomfort when he pitched, Machemer said. GreenJackets trainer L.J. Petra suggested a visit to the hospital, where Wilson was admitted for an emergency appendectomy.

"He's out (of the hospital) now," Machemer said. "He'll walk around the ballpark today and try to get his strength back."

Machemer said Wilson won't see any playing time for another week to 10 days.

INJURY REPORT : GreenJackets starter Kelvin Marte hasn't allowed an earned run in four of five starts this season, but his most recent appearance, a two-hit shutout through four innings on May 6, might have been his last of the season.

Marte left the game with pain in his throwing elbow. Machemer said Monday that Marte is still out and could be for a while.

"He's still being evaluated," Machemer said, "but we think he's going to be done for the year."

Reach Billy Byler at (706) 823-3216 or billy.byler@augustachronicle.com.