Brandon Parker Drives Augusta to Sunday Victory

For Immediate Release

GreenJackets Media Contact: Mitchell Speltz

(803) 349-9467

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GreenJackets Return to Winning Ways in Series Finale

Brandon Parker Drives Augusta to Sunday Victory

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: It didn't take long for the Augusta GreenJackets (20-13) to return to the win column after Saturday's defeat as they topped the Columbia Fireflies (11-22) in the series finale on Sunday, 5-2.

Augusta would have to battle back from an early deficit with the Fireflies scoring the first two runs of the game with the first coming on a solo home run by River Town in the opening inning. They'd score again on an RBI groundout by Enrique Valdez in the next frame to take a 2-0 lead into the third.

The GreenJackets would then begin their rally in the following inning as Caleb Durbin manufactured his 20th RBI of the season by dropping a hit into left-center to score *Braulio Vasquez*, trimming the deficit in half 2-1.

In the fifth, Brandon Parker went yard with his first blast of the season over the left-field wall to even the game at two.

The score would remain deadlocked at two until the eighth when the GreenJackets broke the stalemate with a three-run inning, started by a bases-loaded walk to *Stephen Paolini*, scoring Cal Conley to make it 3-2 Augusta. Brandon Parker, the next batter, upped that lead by another run with an RBI single on the first pitch to advance the lead to 4-2. The Fireflies would give the GreenJackets one additional run in the frame on a balk that forced in *Rusber Estrada*, taking the advantage to 5-2 after eight innings.

Juan Mateo handled the rest in the top half of the ninth by retiring Columbia in order to finish off a 5-2 victory in the finale, awarding the GreenJackets with a 5-1 series victory.

AJ Smith-Shawver started the game and dealt 4.2 innings with 8 more strikeouts while *Isrrael De La Cruz* relieved him for the next seven outs, striking out three on two hits and no runs allowed. Mateo completed the final two innings to earn his fourth staright-winning decision on the mound.

Brandon Parker produced a fine day at the plate finishing 2/4 with a pair of RBIs along with his first home run of the season. Braulio Vasquez also reached two times and scored a run while Caleb Durbin got aboard in two of his four plate appearances, picking up his team-best 20th RBI in the process.

The GreenJackets head back out on the road as they begin a monumental series with the Charleston River Dogs (Tampa Bay Rays) with a chance to catch one of the teams they're chasing in the standing. First pitch of the opening matchup comes from Charleston at 7:05 pm on Tuesday.

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About SRP Park/Augusta GreenJackets

*The Augusta GreenJackets are the Carolina League Single-A Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves playing in the state of the art SRP Park located in North Augusta, SC. The GreenJackets 2022 Game and promotional schedule is out and available online at *www.Green-JacketsBaseball.com. 2022 Augusta GreenJackets season seat memberships are on sale now. To learn more about the benefits and to get in on the action, visit www.gjmembers.comor call (803) 349-WINS (9467).

SRP Park is the anchor piece of Riverside Village, a live, work, "playball" development which includes apartment 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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