GreenJackets outlast Asheville for 7-6 win

Asheville, NC: Dalton Combs was playing in just his 5^th game as an Augusta GreenJacket and the left-hander played a massive role in a 7-6, 11-inning win for the GreenJackets (29-29) over the Asheville Tourists (24-34) on Tuesday night. Combs goes 2-4 with five-RBI including a grand slam. He also drove home the go-ahead run in the 11^th inning.

The win for the Jackets, combined with the loss for Charleston, puts Augusta only two games out of 1^st place with 12 games to go in the 1^st half of the season.
After the GreenJackets scored the first run the previous night, it was Asheville breaking open the scoring on Tuesday evening. An RBI double for Asheville's Jonny Cresto gave the Tourists a 1-0 lead after two innings, as scoring from 2^nd base was Coco Montes.
Asheville scored two more times in the 3^rd inning. A leadoff home run for Will Golsan made the score 2-0 Asheville and later in the inning, a groundout for Coco Montes produced a run to make it 3-0 Tourists. Asheville tacked on another run off GreenJackets starter Adam Oller in the 5^th inning. An RBI double for Grant Lavigne pushed the Asheville lead to 4-0.
Shelby Lackey was dealing on the mound for Asheville, he had allowed just two hits through his first five innings on the mound and the Jackets had not scored. That would change in the 6^th inning.
Lackey was a pitch away from going six scoreless frames on the hill. With Anyesber Sivira on 3^rd base, Diego Rincones singled in a 3-2 count to make it a 4-1 game. Frankie Tostado and Jacob Gonzalez both singled to load the bases, and it was Dalton Combs with a grand slam to give the Jackets a 5-4 advantage.
It was Combs first home run of his GreenJackets career and Augusta had the lead. Asheville would not go quietly though. In the 7^th inning, they scored on a passed ball to tie the game at five.
We would go to extras, and with the game tied at five the GreenJackets scored twice in the 11^th inning. It was an RBI single for Combs to score the 1^st run, followed by an error on the shortstop Montes later in the inning to make it 7-5 GreenJackets. Augusta had three runners thrown out at home plate from the 7^th inning to the 11^th inning.
Asheville would scratch a run across in the 11^th, but that would be all they could muster up as the Jackets go on to win by a final of 7-6. Ryan Walker earns the win on the mound, as he went the final three innings without allowing an earned run.
Player of the Game: Dalton Combs
In Dalton Combs 5^th game as an Augusta GreenJacket, he drives in five runs, including a grand slam that helps the Jackets win the series over Asheville. Combs had the go-ahead RBI in the 11^th inning as well.
Tomorrow's Game:  7:05 PM @ Asheville Tourists (Colorado Rockies), McCormick Field, Asheville, North Carolina
Pitching Matchup: (ASH) LHP Colten Schmidt (1-2, 1.95 ERA) vs (AUG) RHP Keaton Winn (2-4, 4.31 ERA)
Keaton Winn will make his 2^nd start of this road trip after he went 4.1 innings on the mound against the Columbia Fireflies on May 31^st. Winn this season has 33 strikeouts to only eight walks, and his ability to manufacture groundballs has been huge for his success. Winn was a 5^th round selection by the Giants in 2018 out of Iowa Western Community College. He spent last year with the Class-A Short Season Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, and posted an ERA of 4.81 over 43 innings. Winn was also selected by the Giants in the 2017 MLB Draft as a 20^th round selection, but he decided to return to school.
Colten Schmidt will get the baseball for the Tourists in the series finale. Schmidt has an ERA of 1.95 this season over 37 innings on the mound. That ERA is the best on the team, among active starting pitchers on the Asheville roster. After Schmidt was a 23^rd round selection by the Colorado Rockies in the 2018 MLB Draft, he spent 2018 with the Boise Hawks in the Class-A Short Season Northwest League. While there, he appeared in nine games out of the bullpen and had an ERA of 10.80. He played his college baseball at Louisiana-Lafayette University.
Next Homestand: June 6^th-June 9^th vs the Kannapolis Intimidators
The GreenJackets return home to SRP Park to host the Kannapolis Intimidators June 6^th - June 9^th. It's going to be a weekend of fun featuring Thirsty Thursday presented by Garden City Social & Mr. Tattoo with a special Appearance by Kevin Kisner! The first 750 fans will receive a Golf Towel courtesy of Cintas and it's Tribute to Teachers Night. Friday it's First Responders Night, the first 1,000 fans will receive a one-of-a-kind set of plaid sunglasses courtesy of Best Office Solutions and Kids Run the Bases. Saturday SRP Park transforms to Margaritaville with a pre-game concert, Anthony and London Thuan State Farm Saturday, Kids Run the Bases and Post-game Fireworks presented by Helm Electric. The fun wraps up on Sunday with the ever popular Princess and Pirates Junior Jackets Sunday! All kids 12 and under get in for FREE, Path 2 College Sunday Funday with pre-game Catch on the Field and Post-game Kids Run the Bases. Get your tickets today to Catch the Buzz: https://www.milb.com/augusta/tickets/single-game-tickets
About the Augusta GreenJackets
SRP Park is the anchor piece of Riverside Village, a live, work, "playball" development which includes apartment living, senior living, retail, restaurants, class "A" office space, and a Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center. To learn more about SRP Park and hosting events and availability, visit www.thesrppark.com.
 
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