Palma's Home Run Jolts Charleston out of Losing Skid in 5-4 Win over Power
CHARLESTON, WV - Alex Palma blasted a three-run home run in the fifth and the RiverDogs bullpen took the reins from there as the Charleston RiverDogs snapped out of a four game skid to take a 5-4 victory over West Virginia on Thursday night at Appalachian Power Park.
The victory shook Charleston (54-41, 12-14) out of a season-long four game losing streak and puts the first half champs into a share for second place in the Southern Division second half standings, trailing first-place Augusta by 4.5 games.
Palma went 2-for-4 at the plate while driving in four of Charleston's runs to match a career-high. Shortstop Hoy Jun Park also went 3-for-5 in his fifth three hit game of the year in a 13 hit effort by the RiverDogs offense.
Palma's three-run blast, his fourth of the season, broke open a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning, but West Virginia (49-47, 14-13) wouldn't give the RiverDogs any time to relax, cutting the lead to just one in the bottom half. With one out, Alfredo Reyes reached on an error by Park, his second of the ballgame, to put the pressure on RiverDogs starter Daris Vargas (6-5). After Reyes stole second, Power center fielder Casey Hughston doubled him home with a ground rule hopper to left to make it a 5-3 ballgame. Logan Ratledge followed with a double down the right field line that made it 5-4. Vargas would exit allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in a winning effort.
Justin Kamplain and Greg Weissert combined for four shutout innings out of the bullpen. Weissert, the Yankees' 18th round pick out of Fordham University last June, slammed the door and picked up the save with a perfect 1-2-3 frame with a punch out in his Single-A debut.
West Virginia took command early, tagging Vargas for two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the first. Power third baseman Logan Ratledge drew a one out walk and Mitchell Tolman smacked double to left center to put runners at first and third before Ratledge scored on a passed ball by Charleston backstop Luis Torrens to make it 1-0. After Carlos Munoz walked with two outs, an error by Park allowed Tolman to score and extend the West Virginia lead to 2-0.
The RiverDogs began to chip away with a run in the second when Nathan Mikolas grounded out to second to drive in a run after consecutive singles by Kane Sweeney and Chris Godinez with one out.
In the third, Park singled up the middle to lead off the inning. With two outs, Jhalan Jackson stroked a base hit to right to put runners at the corners before Palma drove in his first run with an RBI knock to right to tie the game at two apiece.
Upcoming
The RiverDogs take on the Power in the rubber match of the series on Friday night at 7:05pm at Appalachian Power Park. The RiverDogs will send RHP Luis Cedeno (5-4, 3.79) as the Power counter with RHP Logan Sendelbach (7-3, 3.31). After the three-game tilt in Charleston North, the RiverDogs face the Hagerstown Suns in a four-game series before returning to The Joe for a four-game homestand from July 28-31.
Ticket information for the RiverDogs homestand and any of the remaining home games can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. Tickets for Game Two of the SAL Divisional Series on Friday, September, 9 at 7:05pm are now available. Those that can't make it to the park can follow every pitch of the RiverDogs season on WTMA 1250 AM and streaming online at riverdogs.com.
--RIVERDOGS--