SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

'Dogs Score Early and Often Before Holding on Late

Published on August 29, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


SAVANNAH, Ga. - Kelvin De Leon recorded four RBI to spearhead a 16-hit attack as the Charleston RiverDogs downed the Savannah Sand Gnats, 9-6, in South Atlantic League action Monday night at Historic Grayson Stadium.

Charleston improved to 26-38 this half and 52-82 overall with the victory, while Savannah fell to 37-27 and 76-57.

The RiverDogs wasted no time in getting to Sand Gnats' starter Gonzalez Germen, pouncing for seven runs on ten hits over the game's opening two innings.

Kevin Mahoney provided the lone marker of the first frame with an RBI single to center field. Germen (7-7) stranded the bases loaded to avoid further harm, but hardly settled in in the second as Charleston piled on six more runs for a 7-0 advantage.

Shane Brown cracked an RBI single to left field, and Mahoney added his second in as many innings with another bullet to left, making the score 3-0 Charleston. De Leon then smacked the RiverDogs first extra-base hit of the night, plugging the left-center field gap to chase home two runs and stretch the cushion to 5-0.

After a throwing error on De Leon's double forced in yet another run, Jose Mojica built off a two-RBI day on Sunday by capping the assault with a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield.

That spelled the end for Germen, who entered the contest with a heady 3.44 ERA but had no answer for the Holy City nine on this night. Germen lasted just 1.1 innings, yielding the seven runs on ten hits and a walk while fanning one.

Despite the ample run support, RiverDogs' righty Manny Barreda was unable to qualify for a victory by getting through 5.0 innings. Barreda struggled for a second consecutive start, permitting four runs on four hits and a season-high six walks over 3.0 frames in which he managed one strikeout.

A one-out walk helped the Sand Gnats get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, as Luis Nieves found first base and scurried plateward on Darrell Ceciliani's triple to right field.

Savannah really began to make things interesting by piecing together three third inning runs to nudge within 7-4.

Blake Forsythe brought home two runs by lacing a RBI single to right field, before an Aderlin Rodriguez double play ball scored the other run of the rally.

Mike Recchia came out of the Charleston bullpen to throw a scoreless fifth, but Savannah struck right back in the sixth to narrow the ledger to 7-6.

Rodriguez scalded a double to plate Joe Bonfe to slice the RiverDogs' lead to two runs, and Nieves made it a one-run affair by ripping a RBI groundball single back through the originator.

A two-out burst allowed Charleston to get a run back off of Savannah's Ryan Fraser in the sixth, as the lead swelled back to two runs at 8-6. Mahoney added on to a great game with another double, and De Leon clubbed a two-bagger of his own to the opposite field for his second extra-base knock and fourth RBI of the slugfest.

Fraser's control betrayed him in the seventh, as Charleston delivered a single and took advantage of two walks and a hit batsman to go ahead, 9-6. Brown secured his second RBI by weaseling a free pass from Fraser to send Kyle Higashioka down the line from third.

Recchia (3-1) penned 3.0 innings of relief to garner the win for the RiverDogs, yielding the two runs (one earned) on four hits while racking up three strikeouts.

Mark Montgomery once again played the role of stopper in the ninth, striking out the side to weave around a double and a walk to preserve the 9-6 win and his 13th save of the campaign.

Charleston and Savannah conclude their five-game set and meet for the final time this season on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Shane Greene (4-13, 4.14 ERA) is expected to take the mound for the RiverDogs, versus Taylor Whitenton (4-4, 2.55 ERA) of the Sand Gnats.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 29, 2011


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