Tate Posts Two Shutout Innings in Homecoming as RiverDogs Drop Opener in Hickory, 4-2

HICKORY, NC - A three error inning put the Charleston RiverDogs in a 4-0 hole, but Charleston's pitching staff held steady as the RiverDogs mounted a comeback that fell short, dropping the opener to the Crawdads, 4-2, on Friday night at L.P. Frans Stadium.

Trailing by four after the trio of errors in the fourth, Charleston battled back in the top half of the seventh. With one out, second baseman Gosuke Katoh drew a walk. Two batters later, Kyle Holder reached on a high chopper hit to short for a base hit before Hoy Jun Park drew a walk to load up the bases with two outs to chase Hickory reliever Adam Choplick. Facing Matt Ball fresh out of the pen,Vince Conde smoked a ground ball through the right to score two before he was thrown out rounding first and trying to retreat back into the bag to end the inning.

With the RiverDogs (70-60, 28-33) now trailing by two, former Rangers prospect Dillon Tate stepped onto the mound to face his former team. The former fourth overall pick out of UC Santa Barbara acquired by the Yankees in the Carlos Beltran deadline deal walked the first batter he faced, Brallan Perez, who was moved over to second on a sacrifice. Tate struck out Frandy De la Rosa to end the inning.

After Charleston failed to cash in on a leadoff double by Mandy Alvarez and runners on second and third with two outs in the eighth, Tate should have had a 1-2-3 inning if not for another error of the game by the Charleston defense, a misplay on a transfer by Park that allowed Yeyson Yrizarri to reach. Catcher Chuck Moorman followed with a double ripped deep to left that the RiverDogs played a perfectly executed relay throw to cut down Yrizarri trying to score from first to keep it at a one run game. The four errors by the RiverDogs matched a season-high set two other times.

The RiverDogs put the tying run to the plate in the ninth after a two out walk by Park, but Conde grounded into a fielder's choice to short to end the game.

Adonis Rosa (1-5, 3.32) would take the loss for Charleston, logging six innings while striking out six while allowing four unearned runs on the defensive breakdown in the fourth.

Charleston first baseman Chris Gittens was taken out of the ballgame after a diving stop in the fourth with an apparent lower body injury and was replaced by Conde. Gittens was charged with one of the three errors in the inning after trying to flip to first base on the same play.

Upcoming

The RiverDogs continue the series with the Crawdads on Saturday night, sending former Rangers prospect RHP Nick Green (2-0, 0.75) to face RHP Emerson Martinez (0-4, 3.60) in game two of the three-game tilt with the first pitch set for 7 pm. The game will be broadcast on WTMA 1250 AM and streaming online at riverdogs.com. Pregame coverage starts at 6:30 pm.

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.