Davis Strong Through Seven in 10-2 Win

Rome, GA - The Augusta GreenJackets scored in six of their nine trips to the plate against the Rome Braves in Tuesday night's series opener between the two teams, building a big lead early and never looking back in a 10-2 victory over the Braves.

The GreenJackets sent eight to the plate in the first inning, taking the lead just two hitters into the game. Shawn Payne walked to lead things off after a 28 minute delay at the outset. He stole second and then third before Jose Flores singled him home to put the GreenJackets on the board. Augusta would load the bases before Jeff Arnold came though with the inning's biggest blow, a two-run single to stretch Augusta's lead to 3-0.

Payne would add to the lead in the second with a solo homer while Devin Harris duplicated the feat in the third - belting his team-leading seventh homer of the year to lead off the third inning and push Augusta's lead to 5-0. Later in the third, Kelby Tomlinson's sacrifice fly made it a 6-0 game and the rout was on.

Garrett Buechele singled home two more in the fourth inning to push the lead to 8-0. Brett Krill's RBI double in the fifth inning made it a 9-0 GreenJackets lead while Joe Staley drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh to put Augusta up 10-0.

Paul Davis (6-7) delivered a solid outing for the GreenJackets, getting his first win in a month. In seven scoreless innings, he allowed five hits and walked three while striking out five. Davis kept runners out of scoring position for much of the night, as Rome only had men to second and third against him on three separate occasions. In addition, he was able to spread the damage against him; Rome had multiple hits against Davis in just one inning - his seventh and final frame.

Rome broke up the shutout in the eighth inning, getting two runs on four hits against DeMondre Arnold. The last two, RBI singles by Kyle Kubitza and Brandon Drury, made it a 10-2 game. Kevin Couture retired three of the four he faced in the ninth to seal Augusta's win.

Fabian Williamson (2-4) took the loss for the Braves and was roughed up from the outset. He didn't escape the third, firing just 2.2 innings and allowing six runs on six hits and four walks. Four Rome pitchers combined to walk 11 GreenJackets hitters. The damage could've been worse offensively for both sides as the Braves stranded ten runners while the GreenJackets left 14 men on base.

The GreenJackets will look to make it two in a row in Rome on Wednesday, sending Kyle Crick (7-6, 2.30) to the mound against David Starn (1-2, 6.04). First pitch from Rome comes at 7:05 p.m. with radio coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN Radio 1340 AM and www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.

The GreenJackets return home on Friday to open their final series of the year - a four-game set with the Charleston RiverDogs. Single-game tickets for any GreenJackets home game are currently available by calling the GreenJackets front office at 706-922-WINS and online at www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.