RiverDogs Streak Snapped by 10th Inning Walk Off
SALISBURY, MD- The Charleston RiverDogs had their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday night as Delmarva capitalized on a pair of RiverDogs errors to edge out a 2-1 victory in 10 innings at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
With the score still tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the 10th, RiverDogs hurler Jose Mesa, Jr. stepped onto the mound for his third inning of work and promptly struck out Delmarva third baseman Alejandro Juvier and highly touted Orioles prospect D.J. Stewart to start the frame. On the next at-bat, Yermin Mercedes hit a ground ball to third that was cleanly fielded by Angel Aguilar who made a sure-handed throw to Chris Gittens at first. On a bang-bang play, Mercedes hustling into first knocked into the glove of Gittens who had to reach out toward the baserunner to secure the catch for the third out and the ball was dislodged, leading to an error being charged to the RiverDogs first baseman on a missed catch.
The mistake would prove costly, as Shorebirds DH Natanael Delgado singled to right to put runners at first and second, followed by an RBI base hit up the middle by Gerrion Grim that lifted the Shorebirds over Charleston in walk-off fashion, 2-1.
Mesa (0-1) took the tough luck loss in first appearance of the season for Charleston, allowing the go-ahead run that went unearned against him and finishing the night allowing just a pair of hits with two walks and six strikeouts.
The two hits from Delmarva off of Mesa in the 10th inning were just the eighth and ninth base hits combined from both sides in a ballgame that saw RiverDogs hitters strike out a season-high 18 times.
The RiverDogs jumped out to an early lead when Chris Gittens led off the second with a walk and came around to score on a one-out triple by Kendall Coleman who laced a fly ball to the warning track in right-center to drive in his fellow Texan and make it 1-0 Charleston.
In the home half of the frame, Delmarva would take advantage of the first RiverDogs error of the night to tie up the ballgame. Shorebirds centerfielder Adamar Rifaela shot a base hit through the right side that scored Delgado who had previously reached on a fielding error by Charleston second baseman Hoy Jun Park.
Travis Hissong highlighted the RiverDogs staff's efforts in the pitcher's duel, logging 3.2 innings of scoreless relief while yielding two hits with no walks and a pair of strikeouts. After giving up a single to the first batter he faced in the fourth, the righty out of Kent State University retired the next 10 Shorebirds batters in a row before giving up his second base hit with two outs in the seventh.
Christian Morris looked solid in his RiverDogs debut, allowing one unearned run on two hits in 3.1 innings of work. The former Indiana Hoosier right-hander issued three walks while striking out four in his first professional start at the Class A level.
Charleston continues their four-game series with the Shorebirds on Sunday afternoon in Game Three at 2:05pm. The RiverDogs will send RHP Cody Carroll (0-1, 2.76) while the Shorebirds will counter with LHP Brian Gonzalez (2-0, 3.48). Fans can tune in on WTMA 1250 AM in the tri-county area as well as online at riverdogs.com. Ticket information for any of the RiverDogs' remaining home games this season may be secured by contacting the box office at (843)577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com.
--RIVERDOGS--