'Dogs Withstand 'Birds, Salvage Split

SALISBURY, MD - The Charleston RiverDogs fended off a late push from the Delmarva Shorebirds as they prevailed 7-5 on Monday night at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.
Jhony Brito (4-3) earned the win for the RiverDogs (16-22, 53-55) as he posted a Quality Start, going six innings and allowing just one run on four hits and no walks while striking out six. Hector Guance (8-4) absorbed the loss for the Shorebirds (25-13, 73-34). Guance went five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks while tallying one strikeout. Keegan Curtis gave up just an unearned run in the final 2.1 innings while striking out three to earn his second save of the year for Charleston.
Charleston broke open the scoring in a big way in the third. Max Burt and Ryan Lidge both singled to open the frame before Brandon Lockridge dropped down a bunt for a base hit to load the bases. Oswald Peraza was then hit by a pitch to force home a run and Canaan Smith followed with a rocket-shot single to left to plate another, making it 2-0 Charleston. With the bases still loaded, Josh Stowers worked a walk to push home another run. Mickey Gasper then made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly to left. Eric Wagaman singled to reload the bases and Oliver Dunn brought home the final run of the frame with a groundout out to short, giving the RiverDogs a 5-0 lead.
Charleston nearly added another run in the top of the fourth. Lidge doubled to start the inning and three batters later tried to score on a Smith single to left but got hosed at the plate on a throw from left by Nick Horvath.
Zach Watson got one back in the bottom of the fourth for Delmarva as he began the inning with a solo homer to left, his third in his first week with the Shorebirds, to make it a 5-1 game.
Delmarva made serious inroads into Charleston's lead in the seventh. With two outs, Cody Roberts legged out an infield single to start the inning. Back-to-back walks to Nick Horvath and Jean Carlos Encarnacion loaded the bases. A third straight walk to Watson then forced home a run, bringing the Shorebirds to within three runs at 5-2. Adam Hall made it a 5-4 game as he roped a two-run single. A pitching change brought Curtis in for the RiverDogs, and after Hall stole second, Curtis punched out Johnny Rizer to strand two in scoring position and end the frame.
A pair of errors in the eighth allowed Charleston to steal two runs back. Dunn walked to begin the inning and an error then allowed Burt to reach putting two aboard. Three batters later, Oswald Peraza worked a walk to load the bases with two out. Smith then bounced a ball back to the mound that the pitcher Yelin Rodriguez threw away, allowing a run to score and putting Charleston in front 6-4. After a pitching change brought Jhon Peluffo on, a wild pitch let Charleston plate another putting the RiverDogs ahead 7-4.
Charleston returned the favor to Delmarva by allowing a run to score on an error of their own in the bottom of the eighth. Jaylen Ferguson singled to start the rally and was replaced at first by Ryne Ogren after a fielder's choice. Seamus Curran then walked to move Ogren to second. Roberts blooped a single to center and moved everybody up, and after coming to a full stop at third base Ogren scored when the RiverDogs essentially kicked the ball back into cetner, getting the Shorebirds within 7-5. With the tying run now on base, Curtis buckled down and escaped the frame before putting the finishing touches on the ballgame in the ninth for Charleston.
Hall picked up his 36th overall and second straight multi-hit game for Delmarva. Hall went 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs. Roberts also had multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Smith followed up his two-hit Sunday for the RiverDogs with two more hits Monday, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored while. Wagaman also went 2-for-5 while Lidge posted two hits, including a double, while also scoring a run.
After an off day on Tuesday, the Shorebirds resume their schedule on the road against the Greenville Drive on Wednesday night. The Shorebirds have not yet announced their starter for the series opener while Greenville will turn to Brayan Bello (5-6, 6.06). First pitch from Fluor Field is set for 7:05 p.m. with pregame coverage on Fox Sports 960 AM and the MiLB First Pitch App beginning at 6:50 with Will DeBoer on the call.