Shin Drives in Winning Runs in Ninth as RiverDogs Close Series with 6-4 Victory
Woo Shin drove in two runs with a two-out single in the top of the ninth as the Charleston RiverDogs closed a frustrating series with a 6-4 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Atrium Health Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. The RiverDogs saw a three-run lead disappear in the eighth
Woo Shin drove in two runs with a two-out single in the top of the ninth as the Charleston RiverDogs closed a frustrating series with a 6-4 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Atrium Health Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. The RiverDogs saw a three-run lead disappear in the eighth inning, but rebounded for their second win of the week.
The ninth began with Billy Seidl walking Ricardo Gonzalez. With a couple of strikeouts sandwiched in between, Seidl also walked Narciso Polanco and hit Tre’ Morgan with a pitch to load the bases. Shin came to the plate and immediately fell behind 0-2. The left fielder worked the count even before ripping a base hit over the head of the shortstop to put the RiverDogs on top 6-4.
The RiverDogs (8-12) jumped ahead 2-0 for the second straight contest. Polanco blasted his first home run of the year, a solo shot to right center in the third inning to make it 1-0. Charleston then loaded the bases with three consecutive singles in the fourth. They settled for a lone run on a sacrifice fly from Noah Myers to take a 1-0 lead.
In a short start on his return from injury, Chandler Murphy worked 3.0 scoreless innings. Kannapolis (11-9) was able to get on the board in the fifth inning against lefty Drew Dowd. Matt Hogan was hit by a pitch to open the inning. He quickly stole second base and scored on Ryan Galanie’s triple down the left field line. Dowd left the tying run at third base by getting Caden Connor to fly out to shallow left.
The bottom of the order set the table and allowed the top of the order to extend the RiverDogs advantage in the seventh. Gonzalez singled and Carlos Colmenarez walked to begin the frame. Polanco put down a sacrifice bunt and was safe at first on an errant throw from Edrick Felix. With the bases loaded, Adrian Santana rolled a two-run single up the middle and the lead swelled to 4-1.
Adam Boucher took over on the mound with one out in the eighth and the three-run advantage still intact. Kannapolis loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. Arxy Hernandez popped out to shallow right field for the second out. Boucher also popped up Luis Pineda with two outs, by Colmenarez stumbled while turning around and the ball dropped in shallow right with two runs scoring. Boucher then fired a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score.
Shin finished 3-5 with two RBI to lead all hitters. Santana was the only other Charleston hitter with multiple knocks, closing the day 2-5 with a double and two RBI. The Cannon Ballers received two hits each from Galanie, Pineda and Albertsen Asigen. The RiverDogs outhit the Cannon Ballers 10-7.
Boucher earned the win despite allowing three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Dowd surrendered a lone run in 3.0 innings of work, striking out three. Samuel Mejia was perfect over 1.1 frames.
Following a day off on Monday, the RiverDogs will resume their 12-game road trip with a showdown on Tuesday morning in Augusta. RHP Gary Gill Hill (0-0, 1.38) will take the mound first for the RiverDogs. The GreenJackets have not announced a starting pitcher at this time. First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 a.m.