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Charleston RiverDogs

Drive's Second Gear Rallies Past RiverDogs, 7-6

June 24, 2010 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - Derrik Gibson's ninth inning RBI single capped a five-run rally by Greenville over the last three innings in a 7-6 triumph in front 5,009 fans in South Atlantic League action at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park Thursday night.

Greenville improves to 1-0 in the second half and 37-34 overall having won for the seventh time in 10 games, while the RiverDogs have lost five in a row in falling to 0-1 this half and 31-39 overall.

Trailing 6-2 in the seventh, the Drive posted four straight hits to start the frame against Ronny Marte. Dan Butler singled, Zach Gentile followed with an infield single, but both runners moved up on a throwing error. Jeremy Hazelbaker chopped a two-run single up the middle for a 6-4 score, while Gibson's RBI double to left scored Hazelbaker, bringing the Drive within one run, at 6-5.

After Ronald Bermudez walked to put runners at first and second, Michael Almanzar's grounder to short had the look of a double play, but Charleston was unable to capitalize, as throw to Lyerly at first zipped wide, allowing Gibson to advance home and the tie the score at 6-6.

Hazelbaker doubled to leadoff the ninth against Ryan Acosta (4-2) and scored the game-winner on Gibson RBI single to left resulting in the 7-6 final.

Jordan Flasher (4-2) earned his first victory since June 29 by tossing 3.0 hitless innings out of the bullpen with a walk and three strikeouts.

Greenville lit the scoreboard early, when Almanzar's RBI single to left field pushed Hazelbaker across home plate from third base, giving the Drive a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the first inning. Greenville had the bases loaded with two outs, but Slade Heathcott's incredible diving catch on the right-centerfield warning track on Shannon Wilkerson's deep fly ball stranded the bags full

The RiverDogs responded quickly, opening up with back-to-back singles from Heathcott and J.R. Murphy. Jimmy Paredes' fielder's choice put runners on first and third for Rob Lyerly.

With Lyerly at the plate, Parades grabbed his team-leading 25th stolen base of the season. Greenville catcher Dan Butler overshot second base on the throw, allowing Heathcott to come home and tie the score 1-1.

In his first at-bat since being moved from the High-A Tampa Yankees to Charleston on Wednesday, left fielder Neil Medchill sent the ball on a rope to the right-field corner to plate Paredes, giving Charleston a 2-1 lead.

Greenville's Zach Gentile doubled to right following Dan Butler's line out to open the second inning, and the Hazelbaker reached on an infield single, which was kicked into right-centerfield, permitting Gentile across home plate for a 2-2 tie.

The 2-2 stalwart continued until the bottom of the third inning, when Murphy and Parades opened the frame with back-to-back doubles. Parades' knock to down the right-field line brought Murphy home, giving Charleston a one run lead, 3-2. Medchill posted his second RBI of the night, when his broken-bat single to right gave Charleston a 4-2 lead going into the fourth inning.

Charleston added to the lead, when Murphy's RBI groundout plated Heathcott for a 5-2 advantage.

Charleston catcher Kyle Higashioka belted his fourth home run of the season, when he sent reliever Anatanaer Batista's first pitch of the at-bat over the left-field wall to add cushion to the RiverDogs' lead, 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Starter Jairo Heredia lasted just 3.0 innings, surrendering three hits, three walks and two earned runs, with one strikeout in the no-decision.

Murphy and Medchill had two hits each for the RiverDogs, while Hazelbaker went 3-for-4 with three runs scored for Greenville.

Game two of this series is Friday at 7:05 p.m., with Charleston pitching southpaw Josh Romanski (1-2, 4.98 ERA) against Greenville lefty Manuel Rivera (2-6, 3.36 ERA).

FUN AT THE BALLPARK: The 5,000 plus fans present at Thursday night's contest got their weekend started early with another Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, featuring $1 beers in the Ashley View. It was also the club's third annual Go Back to Ohio Night. All fans were encouraged to show up and support either Ohio or South Carolina. Fans from the Buckeye State and the Palmetto State faced off all evening in a plethora of between inning promotions. From an "Ohio or South Carolina" trivia contest to a Sumo competition, the Palmetto bugs and Buckeye nuts went at it through the game. The RiverDogs named one Ohio native "winner" of the night and presented them with a one-way bus ticket back to Ohio.

UP NEXT: Like every Friday, the team will be sporting their special red jerseys for Friday's game vs. the Drive, and all fans are invited to get in on the action with Force Protection Red Shirt Friday. All fans that wear a red shirt receive a dollar off on the walk-up ticket price and have the option to donate that dollar to a military family with parents fighting overseas. Once the action on the field ends, turn your eyes to the sky as Piggly Wiggly lights up your night with post-game fireworks. The South Carolina Watermelon Association will be celebrating all things watermelon at The Joe with everything from seed spitting contests to the Watermelon Crawl.

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