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Charleston RiverDogs

Cooper and Smith's Heroics Lift RiverDogs to Sweep of Catfish, 8-7

August 23, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


James Cooper's walkoff double to right center plated Mitch Hilligoss with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning and Charleston RiverDogs came from 7-0 down to garner an exciting 8-7 victory in South Atlantic League action Thursday night in front of 4,341 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

Kevin Smith tied the game with a dramatic three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to set the stage for Cooper's heroics in the 11th. The RiverDogs swept the three-game series against the Southern Division leaders and moved within ½ game of first place with 11 games remaining in the regular season.

Charleston improved to 35-24 in the season's second half and 72-57 overall while the Catfish fell to 35-23 and 76-52. The teams will meet again in a three-game series in Columbus next week.

The paid crowd of 4,341 pushed the RiverDogs' total attendance this season to 269,785 fans, eclipsing last year's record-breaking total of 267,908. The RiverDogs have four more home dates remaining.

Charleston starter Mike Dunn struggled and spotted Columbus seven runs after the first five frames. The RiverDogs roared back largely against the Catfish bullpen to capture their biggest come-from-behind win of the season.

Cooper, who finished the night 4-for-6 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI, hit his walkoff double on a 2-0 pitch after Hilligoss drew a base on balls off of Ryan Reid (6-5) leading off the bottom of the 11th inning. Hilligoss went in motion and Cooper executed the hit-and-run to perfection, lining the ball exactly where the shortstop Brett Grandstrand had vacated his position.

Down 7-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, Charleston tied the game on Smith's 3-run bomb to center field against reliever Neal Frontz, his seventh of the season. Cooper and Seth Fortenberry set the table for Smith by collecting consecutive one-out singles.

The Catfish batted around and scored five runs in the third off of Dunn, who went five frames and allowed seven runs on eight hits. Maiko Loyola had a RBI double and Cesar Suarez singled home two runs while Ryan Royster and Joey Callender also added run-scoring hits.

The visitors plated two more tallies in the fifth on Loyola's solo home run, his third of the season, and Nevin Ashley's sacrifice fly. Columbus did not score again as Charleston's bullpen combined for six shutout, two-hit innings the rest of the way.

Down 7-0, Charleston began to chip away at the league leaders in the bottom of the fifth. DH Joe Muich began the comeback with a solo home run to right center against starter Will Kline, his sixth bomb of the season. Muich then singled home two more runs in the sixth against reliever Brian Baker bringing the score to 7-3.

Cooper belted a solo homer to right center in the seventh off of Baker to cut the deficit to 7-4, which set up the RiverDogs' huge ninth inning to knot the score at 7-7 when Smith belted his game-tying dinger.

Jonathan Hovis (3-5), who continues to lead the SAL in saves, picked up the win with two perfect innings in the 10th and 11th frames.

Joining Cooper in the leading the RiverDogs to 15 hits were Smith, who had three, and Hilligoss and Muich who picked up a pair each. Suarez had three of the Catfish's 10 hits while Loyola, Royster Brett Grandstrand each had two knocks.

The RiverDogs now begin a seven-game road trip - their final of the season - that takes them to Rome for four games and Columbus for three more. On Friday, Charleston sends righty Paul Patterson (2-1, 3.79 ERA) to the mound while the Braves counter with righty Kyle Cofield (4-8, 3.86 ERA).

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