SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

RiverDogs Gnullify Gnats As Almonte Leads Charleston, 8-6

Published on April 9, 2008 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


Abraham Almonte went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three Charleston pitchers struck out 15 batters as the RiverDogs bit the Sand Gnats, 8-6, in South Atlantic League action Wednesday afternoon in front of 4,832 fans during the annual Education Day at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

Charleston has now taken the first three games in the series from Savannah and improves to 6-1 on the early season. The Sand Gants, who have dropped four straight, fall to 3-4. Because of Asheville's win over Kannapolis earlier in the day, the RiverDogs remain in the tie with the Tourists for first place in the Southern Division standings.

Charleston's offense pounded out 16 hits for the second consecutive game. Almonte led the way with four of those, while second baseman Justin Snyder recorded his second straight three-hit performance. Jesus Montero homered for the second game in a row as well.

Charleston starter Jairo Heredia (1-0) picked up the win as he went five complete innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Heredia fanned six batters and walked a pair. Reliever Lance Pendleton pitched 2.2 innings and struck out seven batters while closer Jonathan Ortiz, in earning his second save, pitched 1.1 innings scoreless innings and struck out two.

The Sand Gnats took their only lead of the game in the top of the first when Matt Bouchard tripled and scored when Richard Lucas lofted a sacrifice fly to center.

But Charleston went ahead to stay with a five-run second inning against Savannah starter Scott Moviel (1-1). The scoring began with RBI singles by Brandon Laird and Carmen Angelini that left the RiverDogs ahead 2-1. Austin Romine later touched home on a wild pitch and Almonte stroked a two-run single up the middle, making the score 5-1 after two frames.

The Sand Gnats came back with a tally in the third on a Jose Jimenez sacrifice fly, then pulled with two runs at 5-3 on Raul Reyes's solo home run to right center to open the top of the fourth.

Savannah would get within one run at 5-4 in the sixth on Darren Clark's run-scoring single off of Pendleton. But Charleston came right back and extended its lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the inning on Almonte's single to right center.

Charleston pushed its lead to 7-4 on Montero's seventh-inning solo homer, a line drive that sailed just inside the foul pole in left. It was a similar shot to the two-run blast the 18-year-old clubbed one night earlier.

The Sand Gnats scored twice in the eighth against Pendleton to climb within a run again, the first on an RBI single by Daniel Stegall and the second on run-scoring hit by Tony Maccani. Ortiz then came in and fanned Greg Veloz with the tying run at second base.

The RiverDogs added an insurance run in the eighth inning on a RBI double by Snyder against reliever Nick Waechter.

Moviel suffered the loss as he pitched only 1.1 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits.

The RiverDogs will go for a four-game sweep of Savannah on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Charleston is expected to send right-hander Noel Castillo (0-0, 0.00) to the mound while Savannah is expected to start righty Elvin Ramirez (1-0, 1.80 ERA).

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 9, 2008


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