RiverDogs Weather Braves Rally, Raccoon Delay to Walk Off, 3-2, Over Rome
CHARLESTON, SC - It was roller coaster ride for the Charleston RiverDogs, but they came out of it all the wiser, and more importantly with a tally in the win column. After seeing a 2-0 lead disappear, thinking they had walked off in the ninth, and watching a raccoon run loose in the Braves dugout to delay the ballgame, Mandy Alvarez's 10th inning double lifted the RiverDogs to their seventh walk-off victory of the season, 3-2 over the Rome Braves on Wednesday afternoon in front of 4,712 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
Alvarez racked up his 10th RBI in eight games with the RiverDogs, and extended his hitting streak that began in Short Season Staten Island to 18 games. The Yankees' 17th round pick this past June out of Eastern Kentucky has now reached base in his first 21 games as a professional.
The RiverDogs (51-37, 9-10) took a lead in the first inning to tag Rome starter Patrick Weigel for an early run. RiverDogs infielder Hoy Jun Park doubled to right to lead off and scored on an error by Braves second baseman Darien McLemore that made it 1-0 Charleston.
In the third, the RiverDogs doubled their lead when Jeff Hendrix hit a sac fly to left just deep enough that allowed Park to beat out the tag at the plate. Park drew a walk with one out to reach.
RiverDogs starter Domingo German exited after five near perfect innings allowing just a run on one hit, a single in the fourth, with no walks and three punch outs before Rome (36-53, 9-11) would start to chip away at the bullpen in the sixth. Cody Carroll (3-3) entered in relief and gave up a triple to the second batter he faced, shortstop Yeudi Grullon. After McLemore struck out, Tyler Neslony made it a one run ballgame, 2-1, with an RBI double to left.
In the eighth, three straight singles by the Braves off of Carroll with one out would even the ballgame up at two. Neslony drove in his second run of the game with a single to left.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the RiverDogs momentarily thought that they had walked off, but would have to save the celebrations for the 10th. With two outs, Charleston center fielder Cesar Diaz hustled out an infield single and stole second. Park reached for the fourth time with a walk on a wild pitch that allowed Diaz to move into third and put runners at the corners. With Corbin Clouse on the mound, a flinching motion by Diaz at third caused the Braves lefty to lift his back foot off the rubber and a balk was called. With Diaz trotting toward home on the presumed walk off, the home plate umpire David Martinez went back on his call, indicating that time had simply been called and the at-bat continued. Clouse struck out RiverDogs second baseman Gosuke Katoh to force extras.
After Carroll posted a scoreless top of the tenth, the game entered into the bizarre. A pair of raccoons found their way into the dugout and delayed the game for nearly 10 minutes, before the critters were rounded up and safely released outside the ballpark. Jeff Hendrix would draw a walk out of the raccoon delay before Alvarez smashed his double to left to lift the RiverDogs to victory.
Ballpark Fun
RiverDogs fans beat the heat on Big Splash Day at the ballpark where The Joe became a water park for the day with super soakers and water balloons in abundance. Seniors that entered the gates before noon also enjoyed a free hot dog, chips, and a drink as part of a Senior Wednesday.
Upcoming
The RiverDogs take on the Braves in the series finale on Thursday night at 7:05pm at The Joe. The RiverDogs will send RHP Christian Morris (5-2, 2.60) while the Braves trot out RHP Mike Soroka (2-7, 2.93). It will be a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday where fans can enjoy $1 beers and the scintillating tunes of DJ Natty Heavy in the Ashley View Pub all night long.
Ticket information for the RiverDogs homestand and any of the remaining home games can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. Tickets for Game Two of the SAL Divisional Series on Friday, September 9 at 7:05pm at The Joe are now available. Those that can't make it to the park can follow every pitch of the RiverDogs season on WTMA 1250 AM and streaming online at riverdogs.com.