Charleston Relinquishes Two Leads in Defeat to Suns

August 11, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Once leading 2-0, the Charleston RiverDogs coughed up two leads and left the tying run aboard in the ninth as the Hagerstown Suns evened the four-game series at one win apiece, 4-3, in front of 5,280 at Riley Park on Saturday night.

Charleston (54-61, 21-26) got out to a 2-0 lead with a run in each the third and fourth innings. Back-to-back triples from left fielder Mitchell Hansen and second baseman David Metzgar off Hagerstown (44-69, 17-28) starter Brigham Hill put the Dogs in front. An inning later, an RBI three-bagger from first baseman Chris Hess scored third baseman Welfrin Mateo to extend the lead.

Mateo finished the night 3-for-4, bouncing back after a 0-for-4 effort on Friday. Metzgar's triple extended his hitting streak to 10 games going back to May 5 in his first stint with the RiverDogs.

18-year-old starter Roansy Contreras threw five scoreless innings before he surrendered Hagerstown's tying runs in the sixth on a Gage Canning groundout and a two-out single from first baseman Jake Scudder, chasing Contreras from the tie ballgame.

The RiverDogs regained the lead in the seventh on a Dermis Garcia single to plate Oswaldo Cabrera. Garcia drove in three runs on two hits in the series opener but struck out in his other four plate appearances on Saturday.

Right-hander Austin DeCarr relieved Contreras, dealing two innings but giving up the Suns' equalizer in the eighth, a double from Cole Freeman.

The Suns took their first lead of the game in the ninth, when catcher Alex Dunlap collided with Eduardo Navas at the plate, dislodging the baseball and scoring on Kameron Esthay's go-ahead single. After Hagerstown took the ninth inning lead off Daniel Alvarez (0-2), Charleston was staved off by Frankie Bartow in the final half inning. Shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera ripped a single to right field, but the potential tying run in Carlos Vidal was cut down at the plate by the right fielder Canning. Cabrera was stranded in scoring position on Garcia's fourth strikeout to end the game.

The defeat marked Charleston's 49th one-run game of the season, the most in the league and contests which they have fallen to 20-29 in.

Ballpark Fun

The RiverDogs went for the world's largest paper plane toss during the seventh inning stretch, as Boeing provided the sheets for fans to fold their finest flyers. It was also a Military Appreciation Night where the RiverDogs wore their red jerseys.

Upcoming

Game three of the four-game set starts at 5:05 on a Holy City Sunday where MUSC Children's Health Kids Club members get in free, eat for free, and run the bases postgame. The RiverDogs will also celebrate both Jewish Heritage and Autism Awareness Day presented by MUSC. Charleston right-hander Reiver Sanmartin (2-4, 4.09) will take the hill against Suns righty Andrew Lee (3-2, 4.37). The game can be viewed on MyTV Channel 36 and heard on "The Big Talker" WTMA 1250 AM with streaming live at riverdogs.com and the RiverDogs' TuneIn radio station.

RiverDogs single-game tickets, including options to the Riley Park Club, are available for the remainder of the 2018 campaign, the club's 25th season as the RiverDogs and their "175th season in dog years." Ticket information can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Welfrin Mateo of the Charleston RiverDogs (Zach Bland)

South Atlantic League Stories from August 11, 2018

• Rivera, Soto Homer in Loss to Tourists - Greensboro Grasshoppers
• Crawdads Even Series with 2-1 Win - Hickory Crawdads
• Bullpen Lights out in Wire to Wire Victory - Asheville Tourists
• GreenJackets Bounce Back in Game Two - Augusta GreenJackets
• Charleston Relinquishes Two Leads in Defeat to Suns - Charleston RiverDogs
• Crawdads Top Claws with Two Late Runs on Saturday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
• GreenJackets Defeat Drive 3-1 on Saturday - Greenville Drive
• 'Birds Win It Wire-To-Wire in Columbia - Delmarva Shorebirds
• Miranda Reaches Base Four Times on Saturday Night - Columbia Fireflies
• Stafford's Six RBI, Stratton's Strong Start Headline 8-2 Win - Charleston Dirty Birds
• West Virginia Tops Rome 8-2 Saturday - Rome Emperors
• Lexington and Kannapolis Ready to Play, But Mother Nature Says 'No Way' - Lexington Legends
• Atlanta Braves Pitcher Sam Freeman in Rome on Sunday - Rome Emperors
• Preview: Young Guns Bringing the Bats - Greensboro Grasshoppers
• Fireflies Game Notes: August 11 vs. Delmarva (Game 114) - Columbia Fireflies
• West Virginia Power: Game Notes (august 11) - Charleston Dirty Birds
• Scudder's Three Hit, Two RBI Night Not Enough in Suns Loss - Hagerstown Suns

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