Auer Powers RiverDogs to 8-4 Friday Night Win

Mason Auer went 3-5 at the plate, finished a double short of the cycle and added an outfield assist as the Charleston RiverDogs took down the Fayetteville Woodpeckers by an 8-4 score on Friday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. In front of 4,368 supporters who waited out a thirty-six minute rain delay, the RiverDogs broke out of recent offensive struggles by scoring multiple runs in three different innings.

The RiverDogs (16-9) were able to get out of the gates quickly without registering a hit in the opening inning. Fayetteville starter Miguel Ullola walked four consectuive batters with one out in the first, allowing a run on a wild pitch in the midst of that stretch. He was removed with the bases loaded after striking out Abiezel Ramirez for the second out. Luis Leon greeted Zack Matthews with a hard groundball to first that was misplayed by Joey Loperfido, letting two more runs come across.

The Woodpeckers (9-16) bounced back quickly to tie the game over the next three innings. In the second, three consecutive singles off of JJ Goss provided their first run of the night. A wild pitch with a runner on third base from Victor Munoz in the fourth inning, evened the score at 3--3.

Auer, who had reached on an infield single in the second inning, blasted his first professional home run in the fourth to put the home team back in front for good. The two-run shot bounced off of the batter's eye in center field. He added a two-run triple in the sixth inning for good measure. Bobby Seymour finished the RiverDogs scoring with an RBI single later in the sixth.

Trailing 8-3 and down to their final out, Fayetteville scored the final run courtesy of Yeuris Ramirez's solo home run. Ramirez entered as a defensive replacement earlier in the game.

Auer was the only RiverDogs hitter to collect multiple knocks, finishing the evening 3-5 with a triple, home run and four RBI. Quincy Hamilton posted two hits to lead the Woodpeckers.

Munoz earned the victory after allowing one run over 3.2 innings on the mound. He sturkc out five. Goss went 3.0 innings and surrendered two runs on four hits. Kamron Fields finished the game with 2.1 innings, allowing only the solo home run to Ramirez.

*Ballpark Fun *
Prior to the game, the RiverDogs recognized several nurses from around the Lowcountry. Friday was National Nurses Day, whick kicks of National Nurses Week throughout the country. Three nurses from the Charleston area were honored for going above and beyond in their respective hospitals. Nurses from various Charleston hospitals were also able to toss out a ceremonial firsth pitch.

The penultimate game of the series will take place on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. Stick around after the game for a post-game light show featuring the The Joe's LED lights. On the mound, the RiverDogs will hand the baseball to LHP Antonio Jimenez (0-2, 5.28) in a match-up with Fayetteville RHP Edinson Batista (1-0-2.79).

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).