GreenJackets Earn 12th Shutout Win of Season

Augusta, GA - Three Augusta GreenJackets pitchers combined to shut out the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Friday night by a 4-0 score - Augusta's fifth win in as many tries this year over the 'Hoppers and their 12th shutout win. With the win, the GreenJackets have now won ten of their last 12 games and 16 of their last 19.

The GreenJackets got on the board in the second inning in much the same way as the 'Hoppers did in the first on Thursday night - thanks to two defensive errors on the infield. With runners at the corners and two outs in the second, Kelby Tomlinson's grounder to short was bobbled by the shortstop to allow Tomlinson to reach and Brett Krill to score to put the GreenJackets on top 1-0.

In the fifth, the GreenJackets scored two more times on back-to-back RBI singles from Jose Flores and Shawn Payne to move their advantage to 3-0. Galindo's RBI single in the seventh inning pushed the Augusta lead to 4-0.

Danny Sandbrink, Steven Neff and Chris Marlowe combined to baffle the Grasshoppers at the plate all night long. Sandbrink, making his second start as a GreenJacket this year and his home debut, fired four scoreless innings of three-hit ball before giving way to Neff. In three scoreless innings, Neff (5-1) allowed three hits and two walks while getting out of two of those three frames thanks to two of the three double plays turned by the GreenJackets. Marlowe struck out five of the six hitters he faced in two perfect innings to seal the shutout win.

Andrew Heaney (0-2), the first-round pick of the Miami Marlins in this year's draft and the ninth-overall selection, allowed three runs - two earned - on five hits in his fifth professional start and third with the Grasshoppers. His seven strikeouts are a career-high for Heaney.

Augusta's record against Northern Division teams improves to 24-13 with their win on Friday. The GreenJackets will look for their third win of the series on Saturday night with Edwin Escobar (6-7, 3.24) on the mound to face Greensboro righty Jake Esch (1-1, 3.86). It's another Sparkling Saturday, with postgame fireworks following the game. First pitch comes at 7:05 p.m. with radio coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on ESPN Radio 1340 AM and www.greenjacketsbaseball.com. 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.