Augusta GreenJackets
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NORTH AUGUSTA, SC: The GreenJackets posted five homers in a game for the second time this year, with a back-to-back effort in the bottom of the sixth lifting Augusta (12-5, 47-36) over the Hickory Crawdads (12-5, 46-35) by a score of 8-7.
BIG DUBS AND GOOD VIBES! pic.twitter.com/uYe7sfbP40
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 9, 2026
In a game defined by the long ball, with seven between the two teams, both offenses were at full go in the first inning. Hickory ambushed Carter Holton for three two-out runs, using RBI knocks from Angel Arredondo and Daniel Flames to bolster the offense. But Augusta responded immediately, as Luis Guanipa led off the bottom half with a solo homer before a two-run homer from Alex Lodise tied the game.
McMurray goes back-to-back! pic.twitter.com/LOM5vPsAsa
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 9, 2026
The Crawdads jumped into the home run party to retake the lead in the second, a lead they would hold for the majority of the night. Sebastian Baquera cracked his first homer of the season, the fourth allowed in as many games by Holton. Hickory would put multiple men in scoring position in each of the next two innings, but Holton’s ability to walk the tightrope kept them from advancing the lead.
Marty for the LEADDDDDD!!! pic.twitter.com/oLljTXF1ar
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 9, 2026
Facing a 5-3 deficit in the fifth, Augusta began to claw back against the bullpen. Conor Essenburg ambushed reliever Wily Villar for an explosive 420-foot homer, before Villar stranded the tying run on. Villar would have no such luck in the sixth, allowing four straight two-out hits including back-to-back home runs from Michael Martinez and Cooper McMurray to take and extend the lead to 8-5.
CONOR ESSENBURG TO THE KIDS ZONE! pic.twitter.com/if9WZw9OGq
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 9, 2026
Hickory gave chase in the late innings, with a home run from Paulino Santana bringing the Crawdads back within a run. Hickory put the tying run on base in both the 8th and 9th innings, including getting the run to second in the 9th, but Daniel Brooks punched out Santana to secure the save and quash a Crawdad comeback.
Alex Lodise ties it up with a MOONSHOT! pic.twitter.com/Vz5j9DpqTU
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) July 8, 2026
The GreenJackets have now won three straight games here at home, and back-to-back to start the week. After a pair of wins against the Crawdads, the GreenJackets are tied for first once again, as they start the second half off strong. Derek Vartanian gets the start tomorrow, having thrown seven scoreless innings last week against the Salem RidgeYaks.
Credit: www.greenjacketsbaseball.com
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