LIVE BLOG: Augusta GreenJackets vs. West Virginia Power - Game 3, South Atlantic League Championship

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Join me for an evening of playoff baseball. The Augusta GreenJackets are looking for a 3-0 sweep over the West Virginia Power to claim the South Atlantic League Championship. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. There’s a 60 percent chance of rain in the forecast but not a cloud in the sky right now. A slight breeze toward left field and temperatures in the high 70s should make for a perfect night of baseball.

Batting practice observation No. 1: This is a hitter’s ballpark, and the GreenJackets hitters love it. You would too if you played 70 games this summer at Lake Olmstead Stadium where “it’s a grave yard for home runs,” GreenJackets designated hitter Thomas Neal said. Neal, Garrett Baker and Angel Villalona put on a home run show during batting practice. All three are in the starting line up tonight.

Appalachian Power Park isn’t a hitter’s park because it’s too shallow (400-feet from home plate to the centerfield wall, 330 to left, 320 to right), but there’s virtually no foul territory, the infield grass is long and thick and the wall to the gaps in right-center and left-center may not quite reach six feet in height. 

Batting practice observation No. 2: One of the best things about a road trip is seeing different minor league parks and their placement in the city. Appalachian Power Park is right in the middle of downtown. It’s a fairly new park (I’m told this is its third year), and it appears the city planners picked out a city block and tried to squeeze an entire stadium in it. They did a better job than you’d think. Over the left field wall is Interstate-77. Over center field is a tree-covered mountain/hill, and the right-field view includes the state capitol building. Behind us is a massive performance hall.

The first pitch came in at 7:04 p.m., and the first heckle followed 15 seconds later. There's a gentleman in the stands unlike anyone I've ever seen at Lake Olmstead Stadium. This heckler is a pro. His seat is behind home plate, but he rarely uses it. He leads the crowd in chants and yells at opposing players and coaches. Poor Juan Ciriaco struck out in the first inning. The heckler, called The Toast Man, yells "You are toast" and fires off actual slices of toast into the crowd after each strike out. His best heckle so far just came in...

"Hey, Ross," he yelled at GreenJackets pitching coach Ross Grimsley. "I hope you haven't checked out of your hotel yet. We've got two more games after tonight."

Nice heckle. Bad prediction. The GreenJackets chased West Virginia starter Evan Anundsen out of the game before the top of the first ended. Shane Jordan and Nick Noonan led off with back-to-back singles. Dayton Buller walked, and with one out and the bases loaded, Thomas Neal also walked for the first run of the game. Anundsen appeared the be out of the inning when he got Garrett Baker to hit a grounder to short, but third baseman Zelous Wheeler cut in front of shortstop Matt Cline and Wheeler bobbled the ball to allow another run to score. Anundsen was pulled for reliever Roque Mercedes, who got Andrew Davis to pop out to end the top of the first. GreenJackets 2, Power 0.

GreenJackets starter Scott Barnes made quick work of the Power in the bottom of the first inning. Eric Farris and Logan Schafer both struck out, and Eric Fryer's grounder up the middle was tracked down by a diving Ciriaco, who threw a strike to first for the third out. End of the 1st: GreenJackets 2, Power 0.

The Toaster Man just loudly congratulated James Simmons on his 200th career strike out in the South Atlantic League. He may seem like a bitter, abrasive individual, but he does his research. The GreenJackets went 1-2-3 in the top of the second.

Steffan Wilson led off the bottom of the second for the Power with a broken-bat single. Caleb Gindl followed with a line drive headed for right field, but Noonan stole a hit away from the West Virginia batter with a diving snag at second base. After a fly out, Curt Rindal put runners at the corners with a two-out single to right field. Matt Cline's RBI single down the third-base line gave the Power their first run of the game. End of the 2nd: GreenJackets 2, Power 1.

The second consecutive 1-2-3 inning for the GreenJackets resulted in a full loaf's worth of toast being flung into the crowd. Mercedes came out of the bullpen, but he's throwing like a dominant starter.

West Virginia's Eric Farris got on thanks to a walk. Barnes caught him trying to steal, but Villalona threw the ball into left field to advance the runner to second. No damage was done, however and the GreenJackets held on to their one-run lead. End of the 3rd: GreenJackets 2, Power 1.

Mercedes had a streak of nine consecutive batters retired before Andrew Davis finally poked a two-out single through the right side of the infield in the top of the fourth. The hit proved to be Mercedes' doom. He walked the next two batters (James Simmons and Noonan), and that was it. Mercedes was pulled for Reed Dickert with the bases loaded and two outs. Dickert's first pitch to Nick Noonan fell for a bloop single behind the second baseman for a clutch two-RBI hit. Ciriaco struck out to end the top of the fourth, but not before the lead increased to three runs. GreenJackets 4, Power 1.

West Virginia responded with one run in the bottom of the fourth. Caleb Gindl launched a solo homer to right field. The GreenJackets still have a two-run lead, but the home run ball showed just how much that type of hit can change the momentum of a game. The crowd is awake, and it's clear no lead is safe in this ballpark. End of the 4th: GreenJackets 4, Power 2.

Neal drew a two-out walk for the GreenJackets in the top of the fifth, but that was it. More toast flew after a Dayton Buller strikeout. After the at bat, the Toast Man held up a sign that read "Don't eat the toast. You don't know where it's been." Is that instruction really necessary? 

Just like the third inning, West Virginia's Eric Farris reached base with a walk. And just like the third inning, Barnes caught him trying to steal and threw to first base. This time, Villalona's throw to second was on the money, and the GreenJackets got out of the inning unscathed. End of the 5th: GreenJackets 4, Power 2.

Andrew Davis led off the top of the sixth with a walk but was stranded there on a Simmons strike out and a pair of fly outs to left field.

As if the Toast Man wasn't enough, the finalists of the World's Strongest Man Contest are in attendance tonight at Appalachian Power Park. That's right, Charleston, W.Va. was selected as the home of the 2008 World's Strongest Man Contest, and these gentlemen decided to catch a little championship baseball in between lifting lead-filled kegs and dragging locomotives over hot coals. Believe it or not, they're bigger in person.

And back to baseball. The Power's Steffan Wilson singled to left field, but the inning came to an end on a 4-6-3 double play. End of the 6th: GreenJackets 4, Power 2.

I know there's championship baseball going on, but I can't leave this World's Strongest Man Contest alone. The crowd is lining up to take photos with these guys in the stands. With my luck, they're probably staying at the same hotel as me. I am NOT going to the work out in the morning.

The GreenJackets stranded Juan Ciriaco at first after he led off the top of the seventh with a single. We're seventh-inning-stretching now.

Scott Barnes' night is over. He went six innings and gave up two runs on four hits. David Mixon came in, and he retired West Virginia 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh. End of the 7th: GreenJackets 4, Power 2.

Augusta followed with a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth.

Andrew De La Garza came on to pitch in the bottom of the eighth for the GreenJackets. He gave up a double to Logan Schafer but kept him there with a grounder and two strike outs. The GreenJackets are three outs away from a championship. End of the 8th: GreenJackets 4, Power 2.

The difference in the dugouts is obvious. Every GreenJacket is up on the rail, practically bouncing with anticipation. The Power are all as far back into the dugout as possible seated and seemingly uninterested. It's clear who has the momentum.

The GreenJackets went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth and none of them seemed to mind. They have a two-run lead with three outs to go. De La Garza is back out on the mound to finish it.

Steffan Wilson led off the bottom of the ninth with a triple off the wall in left field. Caleb Gindl, the tying run, is at the plate. He's the one who drilled the solo homer in the fourth. Gindl hit a weak grounder to first and Villalona gladly traded a run for an out. Wheeler grounded to short. There's two outs and the GreenJackets are up by one.

They've done it. De La Garza struck out Zelous Wheeler on a three pitches. The GreenJackets are coming home to Augusta with a South Atlantic League Championship. Final score: GreenJackets 4, Power 3.