SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Drive Zooms Past RiverDogs, 13-4

Published on June 30, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - Ryan Dent went 4-for-5 and drove home five runs as the Greenville Drive walloped the Charleston RiverDogs, 13-4, in South Atlantic League action Tuesday night in front of 5,476 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

With the victory, the Drive take the series opener and improve to 2-3 in the second half (41-32 overall) while the RiverDogs' three-game winning streak was snapped as Charleston slips to 3-3 in the second half (42-34 overall).

The 16 hits that the Drive collected along with the 13 runs were the most allowed by the RiverDogs this season.

Charleston captured an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jose Pirela and Ray Kruml each singled to jump-start the inning. Melky Mesa reached on a fielder's choice that eliminated Pirela at third and on the play third baseman Will Middlebrooks sailed a throw over the first baseman's head allowing Kruml to scoot to third and Mesa to second. Abraham Almonte slapped an RBI single that brought home Kruml as Mesa went to third. Following a Taylor Grote walk that loaded the bases, Garrison Lassiter smacked a two-run single.

Greenville's Dent hammered a 3-2 fastball over the left field wall for his fourth home run of the season, a solo blast to lead off the third to make the score 3-1.

The Drive attained a 4-3 advantage in the fourth when Kade Keowen began a two-out rally with a single. Middlebrooks followed with a walk and Oscar Tejeda added an infield single to load the bases. Dent then lined a bases-clearing, three-run double down the left field line.

Greenville added to its 5-3 lead in the fifth when Mitch Dening cracked a leadoff single, stole second and third, and scored on Jared Stanley's sacrifice fly. Stanley drove home three runs in the game.

The Drive sent 11 batters to the plate, scored seven runs on seven hits and extended their lead to 12-3 in the eighth. Greenville punched home an additional run in the ninth to make the score 13-3.

Mesa made the score 13-4 when led off the bottom of the ninth with a solo shot for his league-leading 17th home run that wrapped around the left field foul pole.

Drive starter Hunter Strickland (5-4) earned the win after he allowed three earned runs on five hits, one walk and two strikeouts in five full stanzas. Strickland retired the final 11 batters in a row before being removed.

Greenville reliever Fabian Williamson completed the final four innings to earn his fifth save as he surrendered a run on a pair of hits while fanning four RiverDogs.

RiverDogs starter Brett Marshall (3-5) suffered the loss after he threw 5.1 frames and was charged with five earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three.

A septet of RiverDogs accounted for Charleston's seven hits while Tejada and Keowen each recorded three hits for Greenville.

Splash Day at The Joe means an early 12:05 p.m. first pitch Wednesday for Game 2 of the four-game series as the RiverDogs hand the ball to right-hander Andrew Brackman (1-6, 4.98) while the Drive counters with southpaw Nick Hagadone (0-1, 3.86).

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 30, 2009


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