Piper's Walk-Off Double Caps Shocking Comeback in Extra-Inning Victory

The Charleston RiverDogs shocked the Down East Wood Ducks with five unanswered runs in the ninth and tenth innings combined to win 8-7 on Saturday night, their fourth walk-off of the season. The game was played in front of a Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park crowd of 3,644.

Down 7-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the RiverDogs (62-32, 16-12) scored four runs to tie the game. With one out, Kenny Piper hit a single and went to third on a double by Nathan Perry. Alejandro Pie followed that up with a two-run double and came around to score on an RBI single by Shane Sasaki. Then, down to his last strike, Carson Williams lined an RBI triple into right field to tie the game at seven.

After a scoreless top of the tenth, the Wood Ducks (47-47, 14-14) intentionally walked Bobby Seymour to start the inning to put runners at first and second. Two batters later, Piper crushed a ball just over the head of Daniel Mateo in right field, scoring Ryan Spikes to give the RiverDogs the victory.

The Wood Ducks got on the board first with a run in both the second, third and fifth innings off of Daiveyon Whittle. In the top of the second, Cameron Cauley singled, stole a base and came around to score on an RBI single by Miguel Villarroel. Three straight hits to open the third inning allowed for the second run to score, and a single and a throwing error by Williams at shortstop gave the Wood Ducks a 3-0 lead.

Whittle finished the night allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out four in 5.0 innings of work. He gave way to Aneudy Cortorreal to work the sixth.

The RiverDogs rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Piper led off the inning with a single and stole second base. He got to third on a throwing error by Yenci Pena and came around to score on an RBI groundout by Daiwer Castellanos. Then, Sasaki hit an RBI double to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Wood Ducks added insurance by scoring four runs over the next three innings. A fielding error by Pie in the sixth made it 4-2, a walk and two doubles widened the gap further in the seventh and a solo home run in the eighth inning by Liam Hicks made it 7-2.

In the bottom half of the inning, the RiverDogs cut the lead to 7-3. Castellanos led off the inning with a double. He scored on an infield single by Sasaki and another throwing error by Pena at third to trim the deficit to 7-3.

Brayden Theriot (2-1) picked up the win for the RiverDogs, throwing 2.0 scoreless innings, while Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (2-3) was charged with the loss for the Wood Ducks.

The RiverDogs bullpen allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. Cortorreal allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and walked two. Kamron Fields followed that with one run on two hits in 1.0 inning of work. The Wood Ducks frustrated the RiverDogs infield tonight as well, swiping eight stolen bases on Saturday.

Ballpark Fun

On Saturday, the RiverDogs celebrated Anime Night at The Joe. The first 1,000 fans were greeted with RiverDogs anime posters, and some staff members were found dressed in cosplay attire. Original player photos were replaced on the video board by anime drawings of themselves.

The series concludes on Sunday at 5:05 with another MUSC Family Sunday at The Joe. Parking is free, and kids run the bases after the game. The RiverDogs will send LHP Antonio Jimenez (6-4, 3.92) to the mound, while the Wood Ducks will send RHP Ryan Garcia (0-0, 1.57) in the final game of this six-game series.

Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).