HICKORY, NC - It was small ball
Sunday in Hickory as the Charleston RiverDogs topped the Hickory Crawdads 3-0 thanks to 12 singles at L.P. Frans Stadium in South Atlantic League action. The win is Charleston's fourth consecutive victory.
With the win, the RiverDogs improve to 16-11 in the second half and 55-40 overall. Charleston still sits 2.5 games behind the Lexington Legends who won their seventh straight game
Sunday. With the loss, the Crawdads drop to 16-13 in the second half and 55-44 overall.
Charleston's first run came across in the third inning. Greg Bird led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder Nomar Mazara. Bird advanced to third on a single by Angelo Gumbs and would later score on a sacrifice fly by Reymond Nunez.
The 'Dogs second run came the very next inning on an RBI single by Greg Bird to plate Jake Cave. The first four batters in the fourth all reached base safely.
Charleston's final run came across on an RBI single by Reymond Nunez scoring Greg Bird in the seventh. Nunez finished his evening 1-for-5 with a single and two RBI's. Greg Bird went 3-for-4 with three singles, one walk, two runs scored and an RBI. He has his average up to .284 now on the year.
Ericson Leonora made his RiverDogs debut
Sunday batting ninth in the order and finished his night 3-for-4 at the plate with three singles and two stolen bases.
RiverDogs starter Brett Gerritse (7-5) made just his second start of the season and did not disappoint. The right-hander tossed five shutout innings, while scattering three hits and striking out six. Gerritse was relieved by newcomer Eric Wooten. Wooten's final line in his RiverDogs debut was two scoreless frames of no-hit baseball. He hit one batter and struckout two. Ben Paullus relieved Wooten to start the eighth and recorded the final six outs to close out the game and earn his team leading eighth save.
Hickory starter Andrew Faulkner (3-3) took the tough luck loss
on Sunday. Faulkner pitched well but got no help from his offense. The lefty went 5.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
The Crawdads offense was stifled by the Charleston pitching staff. Hickory managed just four hits all evening, all singles. Ryan Rua was the lone Hickory player to reach base twice as he singled and was by a pitch, finishing his night 1-for-3 at the plate.
Game three of this four game set against the Crawdads is scheduled for
7pm Monday at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory. Charleston will send LHP Daniel Camarena (2-4, 4.76 ERA) to the mound as Hickory counters with their ace RHP C.J. Edwards (8-2, 1.83 ERA). You can listen to the game live locally on ESPN 910 AM or online at
www.riverdogs.com.
--RIVERDOGS--
