Saggese's Cycle Leads Wood Ducks to Game Three Win over RiverDogs

Down East Wood Ducks designated hitter Thomas Saggese went 4-5 and hit for the cycle to guide the visitors to a 7-5 win over the Charleston RiverDogs on Friday night at Joseph. P. Riley, Jr. Park. The game was played in front of a sell-out crowd of 6,224 fans. The RiverDogs lead in the best-of-five series is now 2-1.

The game got off to a less than ideal start for the RiverDogs (2-1) when Down East scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Starting pitcher Sandy Gaston walked leadoff hitter Jayce Easley and also issued a free pass to Cristian Inoa with two outs. Those bases on balls allowed Cody Freeman to come to the plate with two on. The third baseman hit a long fly ball to deep center field that caromed off the wall to drive in both runners. Saggese provided his first big hit with an RBI double in th next at-bat to make it 3-0.

The designated hitter struck again in the third inning with a run-scoring triple to grow the lead to 4-0. In the fourth, the first three batters of the frame reached against Victor Munoz. In that stretch, an error by third baseman Ben Troike allowed one run to score and another came in on an RBI single by Inoa as the Down East (1-2) margin grew to 6-0.

The RiverDogs put their first runs of the game on the board in the fourth inning against Nick Krauth. Beau Brundage opened the inning with a double and Matt Dyer followed by clubbing his first home run of the series to pull the home team within 6-2. Krauth would not allow another run, earning the win by allowing two runs over 7.0 innings of work.

Adding to his big night with a single in the fifth inning, Saggese came to the plate again to lead off the seventh. He turned around an offering from reliever Nomar Rojas for his first home run of the playoffs, completing the cycle.

Trailing 7-2 entering the final inning, the RiverDogs refused to go quietly. Garrett Hiott started the inning by lining a double to center field. Johan Lopez drove him in quickly with a sharp single into center. Moments later, Alexander Ovalles electrified the crowd with a two-run blast that pulled the RiverDogs within 7-5. At that point, the Wood Ducks handed the ball to Eudrys Manon who closed the game with three consecutive strikeouts.

Charleston was led by Lopez who finished with three hits. Dyer and Ovalles each had two hits including a home run. Aside from Saggese, Keyber Rodriguez was the only other Down East player with multiple hits.

Gaston took the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits and four walks in 3.0 innings. Munoz followed by allowing two runs, one earned, in 3.0 innings out of the bullpen. The RiverDogs used Nomar Rojas, Graeme Stinson and Neraldo Catalina for one inning each to close out the game.

Game four of the series will take place on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. LHP Franklin Dacosta will take the mound for the RiverDogs with RHP Owen White countering for Down East.

Playoff tickets for the Low-A East Championship Series are on sale now at riverdogs.com. Purchase playoff tickets here to join the RiverDogs, Budweiser and Nucor Steel Berkeley on the postseason journey.

All RiverDogs games are broadcast worldwide on riverdogs.com. A television broadcast of all 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 postseason at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).