RiverDogs Pull Away in Extra-Innings for 10-6 Win

The Charleston RiverDogs exploded for four runs in the top of the eleventh inning to win a wild 10-6 contest at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach on Wednesday night. The RiverDogs erased multiple deficits in their first extra-inning contest of the season to earn a fourth straight win.

The game entered extra frames tied 6-6 and both teams stranded a pair of baserunners in the tenth inning. The RiverDogs (23-13) would not miss out on an opportunity to take the lead again. Jonathan Embry began the inning on second base and moved to third when Osleivis Basabe beat out an infield single. Garrett Hiott was hit by a Bailey Reid pitch while squaring to bunt to load the bases. A wild pitch that allowed Embry to score put the RiverDogs in front and then Johan Lopez worked a walk to load the bases once more. Heriberto Hernandez forced in another run by taking a base on balls and Curtis Mead followed with a single to left that scored two more and made it 10-6. Audry Lugo worked a scoreless bottom half of the inning in his RiverDogs debut to close out the game.

The offenses started the game slowly with the RiverDogs holding a 1-0 lead at the halfway point thanks to an RBI double from Lopez in the third. Myrtle Beach (17-20) struggled to produce anything against starter Cole Wilcox in the first four innings before a couple of errors sparked them in the fifth. An error and two singles loaded the bases and when Jacob Wetzel's groundball was mishandled by Alexander Ovalles, the game was tied. Flemin Bautista put the Pelicans on top with a booming double to right center that cleared the bases.

The sides exchanged single runs in the sixth inning so the RiverDogs faced a 5-2 deficit entering the top of the seventh. Lopez followed a Garrett Hiott walk with a two-run home run, his second of the year, to draw closer. With two outs in the same inning, Mead tied the game with his fourth home run of the season. The Australian has homered in each of the first two games in the series.

The Pelicans came right back to grab a slim margin on a two-out RBI single from Matt Mervis off of his former college teammate Graeme Stinson. Charleston bounced right back to tie it up in the eighth inning against Tyler Suellentrop. Diego Infante was hit by a pitch, advanced all the way to third on a pair of wild pitches and then scored on an infield single by Basabe to even the game 6-6.

Mead and Lopez each finished the night with three hits, a double, a home run and three runs batted in. Mead extended his hit streak to a season-high ten games. The 20-year old also has reached base in 15 consecutive contests and has a hit in 23 of the last 25 games he has played in. Nick Schnell and Infante also extended hit streaks to nine and eight games, respectively.

Six RiverDogs pitchers combined to strike out 16 batters and issue just one walk which was of the intentional variety. Wilcox surrendered four unearned runs over 5.0 innings while striking out six. Stinson surrendered two runs in 1.2 innings of work and was followed by Angel Felipe who tossed 1.1 scoreless innings. Brayden Theriot, Addison Moss and Lugo each worked scoreless innings to finish off the night.

On Thursday, the RiverDogs will send RHP Seth Johnson (2-2, 3.00) to the mound for the third game of the series. Myrtle Beach will go with LHP DJ Herz (0-1, 4.82). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

All RiverDogs games are broadcast worldwide on riverdogs.com. A television broadcast of all 60 home games during the 2021 season will also be available via MiLB.TV. Games are also available on the MiLB First Pitch app.

RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are now available for the 2021 campaign at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule for the 2021 season is available at riverdogs.com.