SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Cumpton and Power Put Clamps Down on Charleston in 6-2 Win

Published on May 9, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, S.C. - Brandon Cumpton yielded only three hits and a run over 5.2 excellent innings, as the West Virginia Power defeated the Charleston RiverDogs, 6-2, in South Atlantic League action Monday night in front of a crowd of 2,066 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

West Virginia improved to 14-15 with the win, while Charleston dropped its third straight to drop 12-19 and a season-worst seven games below the .500 mark. The RiverDogs have also dropped 12 out of 15 since a three-game winning streak last homestand.

Cumpton (2-3) was in cruise control from the keynote, setting down the first eleven RiverDogs to come to the plate before J.R. Murphy stroked a two-out single in the fourth.

Charleston starter Shane Greene (2-3) recorded a scoreless first inning but ran into trouble in the second, allowing three runs on three hits, a walk, and a pair of hit batsman as West Virginia batted around.

Justin Howard drew a leadoff free pass and then moved up to third on a single by Dan Grovatt. Mel Rojas, Jr. and Elias Diaz each produced RBI groundouts to stake the Power to a 2-0 lead. Ninth-place hitter Eric Avila piled on with a clutch two-out base knock, lining a single to center to plate Andy Vasquez, who had reached on a double for a 3-0 advantage.

West Virginia pushed across a single run off Greene in both the third and fourth frames to force the right-hander from the mound. Rojas grounded a double inside the first base line, and Diaz notched his second RBI of the night with a grounder inside the third base line to extend the Power margin to 4-0.

Leadoff man Drew Maggi single-handedly accounted for the Power's fifth score in the top of the fourth. Maggi squeaked a double by Kyle Roller at first base, moved to third on a groundout, and eventually came plateward on a passed ball.

Greene was unable to carry over the success he enjoyed over 7.0 scoreless innings in Delmarva his last time out. The Daytona State College product permitted five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks, fanning two in the process.

Two RiverDogs' errors led to an unearned run in the sixth as the Power took a 6-0 lead on the strength of a two-out rally. Avila worked a walk and moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff throw by Charleston reliever Mike Recchia. Maggi legged out an infield single to shortstop, and a throwing error sent Avila scurrying home for another insurance run.

Murphy upped his team-leading RBI total to 21 to get the RiverDogs on the scoreboard against Cumpton in the sixth. Anderson Feliz sent a single through the originator leading off the inning, and eventually came in to cross the plate when Murphy laced a line drive to the warning track in dead center field.

After Zac Fuesser threw 1.1 scoreless innings, Zach Foster entered and allowed the RiverDogs to creep within four runs in the eighth. Jose Mojica and Murphy singled to set it up for Kyle Roller, who chopped a single through the middle to cut the deficit to 6-2.

Foster induced a double play grounder from Sanchez to quell any extended Charleston threat in the eighth. The 6-6 hurler than breezed through the ninth to give West Virginia the series opener, striking out Feliz swinging for the final out.

BALLPARK FUN: Every Monday, the RiverDogs partner with a local nonprofit organization to generate exposure and funds for a specific cause, presented by The Bridge at 105.5 FM. This week's ally was the Lowcountry Food Bank , hardly a new partner to the RiverDogs. All season long, fans can cut their ticket price in half when they donate two canned food items to the LowCountry Food Bank, thanks to the RiverDogs association with Piggly Wiggly. The year-long effort is part of a larger league-wide Strike Out Hunger Campaign , presented by Perdue. Fans were also able to enjoy $1 beers in the Ashley View Pub on Hair of the Dog Monday, presented by 98Rock.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Nik Turley (1-2, 3.73 ERA) heads to the bump for the RiverDogs in the second of a four-game set on Tuesday at 7:05 pm. Fellow southpaw Colton Cain (1-2, 4.03 ERA) is expected to oppose Turley for the Power.

Fans can savor two-for-one specials on tickets and select concession items thanks to KRAFT Singles and 98.9 Fun FM. KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night Tickets: Buy one ticket, get one free from KRAFT Singles with purchase. Bring a package wrapper to Riley Park on Tuesdays for a steal of a deal, so visit kraftsingles.com for more information as exclusions apply. Feel good about yourself by cutting your ticket price in half when you donate two canned food items to the Lowcountry Food Bank, thanks to the RiverDogs partnership with Piggly Wiggly.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 9, 2011


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