GreenJackets slip out of first

NORTH AUGUSTA — The Augusta GreenJackets couldn’t follow up Friday's 10th-inning thriller and fell to Rome 3-2 on Saturday night.

Entering Saturday, Augusta (35-32) needed a win and both Charleston (36-33) and Lexington (36-32) to lose to clinch the Southern Division first-half title. The good news is Charleston fell to Greenville 5-1, but Lexington won 6-2 at Columbia.

A team that once controlled its own destiny now needs a little help. For the GreenJackets to clinch the title and a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs, they’ll need a win and Lexington loss Sunday. Manager Carlos Valderrama said his message to his team is about controlling what they can control.

“I told them just to play for the win, don’t worry about other results,” Valderrama said. “Go for the win and whatever happens, we’ve already played a great first half.”

Rome scored in the first two innings, thanks to a Henry Quintero single in the first and a Jeremy Fernandez groundout in the second. Augusta answered in the third after loading the bases with a Mikey Edie single and two walks. Jacob Gonzalez hit a ground ball that kicked off Rome shortstop Ariel Montesino’s glove, allowing two runs to score.

Adam Oller started on the mound for the GreenJackets. He labored through the first inning, allowing a run on more than 30 pitches. He settled down, but allowed runs in the second and fourth innings. Oller finished the day with three earned runs on six hits over four innings.

Alan Rangel opposed Oller. The Braves’ hurler pitched well against Augusta in his last start at SRP Park, allowing one run in six innings. Rangel threw six scoreless Saturday, striking out six. The only two runs he allowed came on the error in the third inning.

Rome answered again in the fourth when second baseman Greg Cullen drove in a run on an infield single.

Keith Weisenberg was brilliant out of the bullpen for Augusta. He allowed two hits and struck out three over five scoreless innings.

“It’s difficult, but it’s different. I like it differently, because the game is in full swing and you’re going off adrenaline. Obviously in a big game like this, for us, it’s easy to get going. I just treated it with the same mentality as starting,” Weisenberg said. “My mindset was to go out there, fill up the zone and give out hitters a chance to get us back in there.”

Weisenberg kept Augusta in the game, but the combination of Rangel and Ryan Shetter were just too much for the Greenjackets’ bats. Rome’s pitching allowed just four hits on the night.

Augusta had a chance to get something started in the bottom of the ninth when Shane Matheny hit a ground ball off the first baseman’s glove with one down, but it was called a foul ball. Valderrama went out to argue, but to no joy.

“From where I was it was tough to see, I just trusted my coach and my hitter,” Valderrama said. “I argued and asked the umpire to check with the home plate umpire, but he refused. He thought he was 100 percent sure, but we still believe that it was a fair ball and possibly a triple.”

Augusta takes on Rome today at 2:05 p.m. for the final game of the first half.