Strong Start from Pooser, Late Blast by Gray Lift RiverDogs to Series Win
Strong Start from Pooser, Late Blast by Gray Lift RiverDogs to Series Win Kannapolis, N.C. – Shutdown pitching and late-inning life led the way as the Charleston RiverDogs beat the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6-1 on Sunday afternoon at Atrium Health Ballpark. The result earned the RiverDogs their second series win
Strong Start from Pooser, Late Blast by Gray Lift RiverDogs to Series Win
Kannapolis, N.C. – Shutdown pitching and late-inning life led the way as the Charleston RiverDogs beat the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 6-1 on Sunday afternoon at Atrium Health Ballpark.
The result earned the RiverDogs their second series win of the season and their fifth victory in their last seven games.
Charleston native Trey Pooser set the tone out of the gate, tossing four strong innings while limiting Kannapolis to one run. In the process, the right hander fanned five while allowing just five base runners.
Trailing 1-0 with two outs in the top of the sixth, Alberth Palma rolled an RBI infield single to third that tied the game. Palma finished with three-hits, matching a career high for the fifth time in his career.
Reliever Dominic Niman was stellar in relief, blanking Kannapolis hitters over three innings. Throughout the outing, he punched out five of the eleven hitters he faced.
In the top of the eighth, Marshall Toole singled to center ahead of Taitn Gray who demolished a two-run homer to right that gave Charleston a 3-1 lead. He is now tied with Daniel Pierce, Cooper Flemming and Brendan Summerhill for the team lead with three homers. He also leads the club with 15 runs batted in.
ALL HE DOES IS HIT TANKS! 💣💪
— Charleston RiverDogs (@ChasRiverDogs) April 26, 2026
Taitn Gray blasts a two-run homer to give Charleston the late lead! pic.twitter.com/Vfku6sCiP5
Nicandro Aybar tacked on another, sending a sacrifice fly to left to push the lead to 4-1.
The RiverDogs added on two more runs in the top of the ninth when Toole lined an RBI triple to left and later scored on a wild pitch to cap scoring at 6-1.
Riley Stanford slammed the door with two shutout innings to earn his first professional save.
With the win, Charleston moved to 12-9 while Kannapolis fell to 6-15. After a day off on Monday, the RiverDogs return home to begin a six-game series versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Tuesday night. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. with coverage beginning at 6:50 p.m. on the RiverDogs Broadcast Network.
About the RiverDogs:
The Charleston RiverDogs are the Single-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and three-time Carolina League Champions. The RiverDogs play their home games at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park, a Charleston staple since 1997. 2026 single game tickets are on sale now at RiverDogs.com. Beyond baseball, the RiverDogs host year-round events in the climate-controlled Segra Club. Active members of the Lowcountry community, the RiverDogs were named the winner of the 2025 'MiLB Together Award,' which recognizes a team for outstanding commitment to charitable service in their community.
Team merchandise is always available at the RiverDogs Team Store. Store hours are Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Contact the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS) for more information.