RiverDogs with First Half to Remember
RiverDogs with a First Half to Remember, Clinch First Playoff Berth in 11 Seasons
With a 3-0 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets on June 14, the Charleston RiverDogs clinched the Southern Division first half title, and punched their ticket to the South Atlantic League playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons. The RiverDogs finished the first half with a 42-27 record, their best first half start since 2008, leading the Greenville Drive by five games in the final standings heading into the All-Star Break.
Jumping out to an incredible 16-6 start, the RiverDogs grabbed an early lead in the division and did not let up. Charleston would hold at least a share of first place for all but one day during the entire first half.
Charleston pitching finished their first half of dominance with an astounding 2.85 ERA that led the South Atlantic League. The RiverDogs staff struck out a league high 648 batters for an average of 9.6 Ks per nine innings. The RiverDogs are on pace for 1,305 strikeouts which would shatter the franchise record (dating back to 1980) of 1,171 set in 2011.
The RiverDogs' stellar pitching was showcased by the movement at the position as six Charleston hurlers were called up to the next level. Early dominant showings by starters Brody Koerner, a former Clemson Tiger, and Josh Rogers of Louisville, along with Summerville native and former Citadel standout James Reeves out of the bullpen, earned the RiverDogs a few well deserved call ups before the first month of the season was over. Travis Hissong's impressive showings in relief would allow him to follow his teammates to High-A Tampa with a call up in early May. Even with all the new faces added to the RiverDogs roster in the first month of the season, the pitching staff continued to dominant.
One of the biggest names to start the year on Charleston's roster, Dominican flamethrower Domingo Acevedo impressed in his stint in Charleston to get the call to Tampa just before the close of the first half. Tabbed as the RiverDogs Opening Day starter, the seventh ranked prospect in the Yankees system according to MLB.com lived up to the hype. The 6'7" righty posted a 3-1 record with a 1.90 ERA in eight starts with the RiverDogs while piling up 48 strikeouts in 42.2 innings with just 11 walks.
Taking advantage of a roster spot opening up in Charleston, lefty Nestor Cortes was the most impressive of all of the new pitchers to join the RiverDogs midseason. As of June 23, the Miami native owns a 4-1 record with a 0.82 ERA while striking out 53 batters in 43.2 innings for an average of 10.9 Ks per nine innings and over 40 percent of his outs recorded coming via the strikeout. Cortes was one of five RiverDogs pitchers named to the SAL All-Star team.
Right handers Cody Carroll, Christian Morris, Andrew Schwaab, and Daris Vargas all posted solid first halves and were rewarded with a trip to Lexington in the midsummer classic along with Cortes. Carroll was as solid as any member of the staff, posting a 2-2 mark with a 2.57 ERA while striking out 46 in 47 innings. Former Indiana Hoosier Christian Morris took advantage of his late April call up to post impressive numbers in his second pro season, a 4-2 record with a 2.38 ERA in nine starts. Schwaab was the backbone of a dominant RiverDogs bullpen, earning a league leading 14 saves as the Charleston closer while striking out 29 with four walks in 25 innings to the tune of a 1.80 ERA. Vargas was reliable as a reliever or a true starter, notching a 2.97 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 28 walks in 60.2 innings with opponents hitting just .211 against him.
Offensively, it was a struggled to score runs at times for the RiverDogs, but the bats came through with their fair share of timely hits to win the title. The RiverDogs needed three walk off victories in their first four games of the season, and a number of key offensive performers contributed to Charleston's ability to get the big hits when they needed them.
Hard hitting first baseman Chris Gittens ranks amongst the league leaders in home runs, currently tied for second among all hitters with his 12 long balls. Gittens went into the break on a tear, hitting four dingers in his last three games and seven in the month of June.
Shortstop Hoy Jun Park, the Yankees' 14th ranked prospect, showed signs of his potential that enticed New York to sign the Korean phenom as a teenager in 2014. Park hit .228 while leading the RiverDogs with 14 stolen bases and is tied for the league lead with seven triples at the break.
After a memorable first half of the season, the RiverDogs will continue to develop talent for the next levels of the Yankees system and gear up for playoff baseball in the Holy City for the first time in over a decade with game two of the SAL Divisional Series set for Friday, September 9 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.