Season swings to close

Runs came in two bases at a time as the Augusta GreenJackets hit a season-high 10 doubles Monday at Lake Olmstead Stadium. But in the end it was a four-bagger that made the difference in a 6-5 win over the Rome Braves.

Josh Mazzola's 16th home run of the season broke a 5-5 score in the bottom of the eighth to win the game. Of the 15 GreenJackets hits, Mazzola's homer was one of only five that didn't go down as a double.

"We came out knowing we were going to be real aggressive today," he said. "You always want to win the last game, and in this situation we had nothing to lose."

With both teams eliminated from playoff contention, the final game of the regular season came with a loose and free-swinging approach. The GreenJackets connected for a season high in extra base hits.

"That's kind of the unofficial M.O. for the last day of the season for any team in the minors all across the country," manager Dave Machemer said. "You have to be thinking, 'If you don't swing on the first pitch, you get fined.' You just come out and have fun."

The GreenJackets doubled at least once in every inning but the eighth. Ehire Adrianza doubled in the second and scored on a Wendell Fairley double for a 1-0 lead. Charlie Culberson and Juan Perez doubled in the third for two more runs, and Francisco Peguero and Mazzola both doubled in runs in the fourth for a 5-0 lead.

Rome rallied to tie the game on a three-run seventh inning and a two-run eighth, but Mazzola's homer cleared the center field wall to end the season on a high note.

Though the GreenJackets didn't claim either of the half-season championships in the South Atlantic League, the team did finish with a 76-63 overall record, the best in the SAL's Southern Division.

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