SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

10th Inning Rally Thrills Lowcountry, Dogs Win Season Finale, 2-1

Published on September 6, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC -- Rob Lyerly's bloop single to right field brought home Slade Heathcott to score the winning run in the RiverDogs rousing 2-1 season finale victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers in front of 4,618 fans in South Atlantic League action on Monday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

The 4,618 fans in attendance for Monday night's finale brings the RiverDogs 2010 attendance total to 269,023 loud and proud "Be Your Own Fans!" The 269,023-attendance figure is good enough for third highest total of Charleston baseball history.

With the win, Charleston ends the season on a three-game win streak - the longest to end a campaign since 2005 -- finishing the second half at 34-36, 65-74 overall. Greensboro's season comes to an end on a three-game losing skid, wrapping up the season at 34-36, 66-74 overall.

Charleston and Greensboro combined for just nine hits and no runs through the first nine innings as the scoreless stalwart took the game into extra innings.

Charleston's Shane Greene and Greensboro's Edgar Olmos each took no-decisions in the extra-inning nailbiter in signature outings.

Greene tossing 6.0 shutout innings, giving up just two infield singles while ringing up a career-high eight batters. Olmos penned 7.0 innings of scoreless ball, giving up just four hits while striking out eight batters as well.

That scoreless stalwart did not last long in extras, thanks to Rand Smith's suicide squeeze bunt scoring Taylor Krick in the top of the 10th. Krick singled to reach base and moved to third on Carlos Paulino's double, before coming home Smith's squeeze bunt, giving Greensboro a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the 10th.

After Greensboro reliever Ramon Benjamin (3-3) struck out Ramon Flores and Kelvin Castro to open the frame, the southpaw walked RiverDogs catcher Hector Rabago, who was replaced by pinch-runner Jose Toussen. On the very next pitch, Heathcott roped a RBI double off the glove of leaping left fielder Christian Yelich, plating Toussen to tie the game at 1-1. Benjamin then walked Emerson Landoni to face Rob Lyerly with two on and two outs.

Lyerly, who was named to the SAL Post-Season All-Star Team earlier this week, responded on Benjamin's first offering with an RBI single to right to score Heathcott with a feet-first slide to give the RiverDogs the thrilling 2-1 victory and the 10th walkoff win in 2010.

That occurrence marks the second straight year and the third time in four years that the season that Charleston's season has ended with a walkoff victory.

Kelvin Perez (5-5) notches the victory after giving up just three hits and one earned run, with four strikeouts, in a total of 4.0 innings of relief work.

Benjamin (3-3) takes the loss after giving up three hits and two earned runs, both in the bottom of the 10th, with seven strikeouts, in a total of 2.2 innings on the mound.

Lyerly paced Charleston with a 3-for-5 performance to bring his hit total to 157 for the season, second-best in the SAL. Luke Murton contributed a fourth-inning double to finish his campaign on an 11-game hitting streak.

All-Time Home Attendance at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park

2007: 284,718

2008: 279,606

2010: 269,023

2009: 268,985

2006: 267,908

2003: 259,007

2004: 255,790

2005: 249,374

2002: 242,143

2000: 240,069

1999: 238,184

2001: 236,175

1998: 234,840

1997: 231,006

BALLPARK FUN: It was the final game of the 2010 season and the RiverDogs put their paws together to give our fans the round of applause they deserve with SC Blue Store Fan Appreciation Day! Lucky "Be Your Own Fans!" won prizes like autographed jerseys, 2011 season tickets and even cash all throughout the game. Plus, it was Dogs with a Cause night featuring Rein and Shine. Fans celebrated Labor Day with another Hair of the Dog Monday featuring $1 beers and $1.50 mini hot dogs in the Ashley View Pub. After the exciting fireworks on the field in the games final innings, the RiverDogs lit the night sky with post-game fireworks!

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 6, 2010


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