SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Errors Prove Costly, Drive Throttle RiverDogs, 9-5

Published on June 26, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - For the third straight night, Greenville rallied late, this time scoring the final five runs aided by a pair of late Charleston errors in a 9-5 come-from-behind win over the RiverDogs in front 4,131 fans in South Atlantic League action at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park Saturday night.

With the victory, Greenville climbs to 3-0 in the second half and 39-34 overall. Charleston drops its seventh consecutive game for the second time this year, falling to 0-3 in the second half and 31-41 overall.

With two outs in the top of the eighth and a 5-5 tie, Christian Vazquez groundball was fielded by Hector Rabago, but his throw to first glanced off Rob Lyerly's glove allowing Michael Almanzar and Dan Butler to score, giving Greenville a two run lead at 7-5.

After the error allowed Greenville to break the tie, Derek Gibson's double down the left field line brought Vazquez home, giving the Drive a 8-5 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Former Citadel standout Chris McGuiness reached on the third Charleston error of the game to begin the eighth and then scored on Almanzar's RBI single for the 9-5 final count.

Jeremiah Bayer (4-1) triumphed for the Drive in humming 4.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen while permitting just two base hits.

Greenville struck first in the second, when Vazquez's RBI single to center against Jose Ramirez brought Butler home from second. Charleston's Slade Heathcott had trouble fielding the Vazquez ball to center, allowing him to move all the way to third and Vladimir Frias to cross home plate from first, giving the Drive a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the second.

Ramirez went 5.0 innings, surrendering seven hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts, and taking a no-decision in his first start since being activated from the DL earlier Saturday.

The RiverDogs got on the board in the bottom of the third, when J.R. Murphy's first Sally league triple plated Kelvin Castro, cutting the Drive's lead to 2-1 going into the fourth. Castro walked to open the frame and moved into scoring position on Hector Rabago's groundout.

A bases-loaded wild pitch from Ramirez in the top half of the fifth allowed Frias to find home plate for the second time in the game, coming home from third, staking Greenville to a 3-1 lead. Frias opened the inning with a single to center and moved into scoring position on Vazquez's second single of the night.

The hit parade continued with Derek Gibson's knock to left, moving Vazquez to second and loading the bases with no outs. Vazquez moved to third on the wild pitch and scored on Ronald Bermudez's sac fly, boosting Greenville's lead, 4-1, heading into the bottom of the fifth.

The RiverDogs responded quickly, running wild with a four-hit, four-run bottom half, with all runners scoring with two outs. Rob Lyerly opened the inning hitting his 21st double of the season. Heathcott's single to left scored Lyerly, bringing the RiverDogs within two, 4-2. A throwing error by McGuiness allowed Heathcott to show off his wheels and race home on the same play, cutting the lead to just one run at 4-3.

Murphy doubled to center to put the tying run in scoring position, and Jimmy Parades responded by going yard for the third time this season, sending a two-run bomb over the right field wall on the first pitch from starter Pete Ruiz, giving Charleston its first lead of the game, 5-4.

Greenville bounced back in the seventh when McGuiness' RBI single brought Vazquez home from third, tying the game 5-5. Charleston reliever Andrew Shive (0-1) walked Vazquez and Gibson to open the inning, Vazquez then moved to third on Zach Gentile's sac bunt.

Heathcott, Murphy, Paredes and Lyerly all registered two-hit games for Charleston.

Game four of this series is set for Sunday at 5:05 p.m., with Charleston pitching right-hander Michael Solbach (2-4, 3.44) and Greenville countering with right-hander Kendal Volz (4-2, 3.39).

-RIVERDOGS- FUN AT THE BALLPARK: The 4,131 fans in attendance were treated to a special evening, starting out with the first 1,000 fans in attendance receiving a 2010 RiverDogs card set. The New York Yankees 27th World Series trophy was also on display tonight, all fans were invited to take a photo with the famed trophy for a small donation to the team's Kindness Beats Blindness Auction. The Kindness Beats Blindness Auction, benefiting the MUSC's Storm Eye Institute,went on throughout the game in the concourse.

UP NEXT: Fans can go from "Be Your Own Fan" to "Be Your Own Family" this Sunday with another Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission Family Sunday. Every CCPRC Family Sunday is packed with everything from face painting to inflatables on the concourse. Prior to the game there's even Reading with the RiverDogs and family catch on the field.

While some days your four-legged family member may get left out of the action, this won't be the case on this Sunday as all man's best friends are invited to the game too. Fans are encouraged to bring their pup to the park to hang out with our own top dog here at The Joe, Charlie T. RiverDog, for Dog Day presented by Camp Bow Wow.

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 26, 2010


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