SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Farnham And Mojica Lead Way as \'Dogs Push Past Power

Published on July 17, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, W.V. - Charleston snapped a 5-5 tie with a four-run eleventh inning to back a strong performance from its bullpen as the RiverDogs downed the West Virginia Power, 9-5, in South Atlantic League action Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 1,590 fans at Appalachian Power Park.

Charleston upped its mark to 11-13 this half and 37-57 overall with the victory, while West Virginia fell to 8-16 and 43-49.

West Virginia nabbed a 2-0 second inning lead thanks to a two-run double from Elias Diaz. The catcher lifted the two-bagger against Charleston's Nathan Forer and out of the reach of Kelvin De Leon in right field, plating Cole White and Chase Lyles.

Charleston broke out of its recent funk with runners in scoring position to even the ledger at 2 apiece in the top of the third.

Jose Toussen and Anderson Feliz recorded singles to start the inning, but Power lefty Colton Cain appeared poised to escape unscathed by retiring the next two men. That's when Kelvin De Leon came to the plate, however, dropping a RBI single into left field. Mike Ferraro followed suit with another two-out RBI single, bringing home Feliz with a fly ball to center.

The Power played long ball to reclaim the lead off Forer in the fourth. Cole White clubbed a solo shot over the right-center field fence for his fourth home run of the season, making the score 3-2 in favor of West Virginia.

Forer was lifted for Kelvin Perez after working 4.0 innings. The Southern Illinois product yielded the three runs on three hits and a walk, while fanning three.

Cain was unable to get through the fifth despite having the lead in tow, as he was replaced by righty Casey Sadler. Cain allowed the two runs on six hits and a walk over 4.1 frames, striking out four in the process.

Jeff Farnham took Forer off the losing hook with his second homer of the season in the top of the sixth. The RiverDogs catcher tagged a Sadler offering deep over the left field wall for a no-doubt solo blast to even the tally at 3-3.

Another two-out marker provided the RiverDogs with their first advantage of the contest in the top of the eighth against Power reliever Trent Stevenson.

Farnham was in the middle of the action again, singling and stealing his first base of the season to move into scoring position for Jose Mojica. Mojica then upped his hitting streak to six games with a soft liner to left field, scoring Farnham from second for a 4-3 Charleston lead.

Farnham's fellow catcher, Kyle Higashioka, clocked his third round tripper of the campaign to provide the RiverDogs with an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Higashioka took the Power's Jason Townsend yard with a drive clear of the left field wall to give Charleston a 5-3 cushion.

Perez authored 2.0 innings of scoreless relief before turning it over to RiverDogs closer Mark Montgomery, who picked up where Perez left off. Montgomery breezed through the seventh and eighth innings, notching four strikeouts while setting down all six men he faced. The right-hander appeared to be in line for his first SAL win, but West Virginia scored twice in the bottom of the ninth off Manny Barreda (4-1) to force extra innings.

With a man on first, the Power were down to their last out before Diaz roped a double to put men at second and third for Rogelio Noris. Noris then came through with the clutch base knock, clouting a two-run double to left to tie the tally at 5-5.

Barreda showed his resolve to bounce back with a scoreless tenth, enabling the RiverDogs bats to go to work against Power hurler Kevin Decker (2-3). Charleston pieced together four runs off the former College of Charleston standout to move in front, 9-5.

Farnham continued his productive day with the go-ahead hit, stroking a single to the opposite field to give Charleston a 6-5 11th inning advantage. Garrison Lassiter produced an RBI single of his own to lengthen the lead to two runs, and Mojica applied the exclamation point on the rally with a two-run single through the originator.

Decker was touched up for four runs on five hits and a walk in his one inning out of the West Virginia bullpen.

Aaron Dott secured the wild win for the RiverDogs with a scoreless bottom of the eleventh, setting the stage for a rubber match in tomorrow's series finale.

Charleston and West Virginia conclude their three-game series on Monday at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Scottie Allen (3-1, 6.95 ERA) is scheduled to climb the apex of the diamond for the RiverDogs, versus left-hander Zach Fuesser (2-3, 2.42 ERA) of the Power.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 17, 2011


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