RiverDogs Right Ship with 6-2 Triumph Against GreenJackets
Approaching must-win territory in their pursuit of a first half championship, the Charleston RiverDogs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Augusta GreenJackets on Friday evening. The victory kept them two games behind the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the South Division race with five games remaining
Approaching must-win territory in their pursuit of a first half championship, the Charleston RiverDogs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Augusta GreenJackets on Friday evening. The victory kept them two games behind the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the South Division race with five games remaining in the half.
The RiverDogs (41-20) took their first lead of the series in the top of the first inning. Ryan Spikes was hit by a pitch to open the game and scored immediately on a triple into the left field corner off the bat of Carson Williams. The triple was the team's 35th of the season, a number that leads Minor League Baseball. Mason Auer brought Williams home with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
The lead doubled in the third as the RiverDogs got to AJ Smith-Shawver once again. Spikes beat out an infield single, Auer walked and Bobby Seymour singled to load the bases with one out. Nick Schnell turned on a breaking ball and hooked it down the right field line to plate two and extend the lead to 4-0.
Augusta (34-27) scored their only runs of the night on a two-run home run by Brandol Mezquita in the fourth inning. Antonio Jimenez allowed nothing else over 5.0 innings of work, scattering six hits and striking out six on his way to earning a win.
Logan Allen pushed the lead to 5-2 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Schnell finished off the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the eighth. The center fielder has homered in back-to-back games. Those runs were just an added bonus as Austin Vernon took over out of the bullpen and closed the game with 4.0 scoreless innings. He struck out six batters on the way to collecting his first save of the campaign.
Each team finished with nine hits on the night. The RiverDogs were led by Schnell's two hits and three runs batted in, but also received multiple hits from Nathan Perry. Cal Conley went 4-4 to lead the GreenJackets attack.
The series continues on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. The RiverDogs will give the ball to RHP Christian Fernandez (4-1, 2.29) in a battle against LHP Kris Anglin (3-3, 4.43) of the GreenJackets.
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).