SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Gittens' Two Homers Not Enough as RiverDogs Handed 6-3 Loss by Asheville

Published on June 12, 2016 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - When the Charleston RiverDogs fell behind, Chris Gittens answered with his bat, scorching two long balls to bring his total to a team leading eight on the season, but it wasn't enough as the RiverDogs fell short of the four-game sweep of Asheville on Sunday evening in front of 5,149 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

With an Augusta loss earlier in the day, the RiverDogs magic number is down to four and they can clinch tomorrow with a combination of a doubleheader sweep over the Augusta GreenJackets, along with losses by both Columbia and Greenville.

The Asheville Tourists took the first lead of the series in the first inning after top Rockies prospect Brendan Rodgers singled on a ground ball up the middle and Yonathan Daza was hit by a pitch with two outs. Tourists right fielder Sam Hilliard stroked a single up the middle to give Asheville an early 1-0 advantage.

In the bottom half, Chris Gittens hammered a two run home run off the video board in right field to even the ballgame at 1-1.

After giving up the early run, RiverDogs starter Yefrey Ramirez settled in to finish with a final line of one run allowed on four hits across 5.2 innings of work. The Dominican righty walked two while striking out four.

Asheville would get to the RiverDogs bullpen to break open the 1-1 tie with four runs in the eighth. After recording a clean seventh, Willie Gabay (2-1) issued a leadoff walk to Brian Mundell who advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches by the Charleston righty. Daza ripped a double down the left field line to score Mundell and Hilliard followed with an RBI double smoked over the head of center fielder Leonardo Molina. Chris Rabago singled up the middle to drive in the third run and chase Gabay. Former Georgia Bulldog David Sosebee struck out Chris Keck for the first out of the inning and then gave up a sacrifice fly to right by Carlos Herrera that made it 5-1 Asheville.

In the bottom of the eighth, Gittens would keep the RiverDogs hopes alive. After Hoy Jun Park reached on a single chopped down the left side of the infield, the Sherman, TX native followed with a blast to left field to make it a two run ballgame at 5-3. It was the second multi-home run game of the season for Gittens after launching two off of Asheville righty Trey Killian (4-3).

Asheville added an insurance run in the ninth inning to push the score to 6-3. All with two outs, Sosebee issued back-to-back walks and gave up an infield single to Hilliard before walking Rabago with the bases loaded to give Asheville a three run lead,

Ballpark Fun

On a Holy City Sunday at The Joe, The RiverDogs and the City of Charleston come together in a Day of Unity to embrace the city's show of strength and unity that transpired in the face of tragedy. Fans stuck around for a postgame concert featuring local musicians Tommy Gielingh and Evan Lampkin as they debuted their "Unity Bridge" song. Young RiverDogs fans enjoyed a Kids Club Sunday where all Kid's Club members got in free. In association with Charleston County Parks & Recreation, South Carolina State University, and Y102.5, Sunday featured free parking, Lowcountry youth eating for free free, enjoying pregame catch on the field as well as a rock climbing wall, and running the bases postgame presented by CPI Security.

Upcoming

The RiverDogs will kick off a four game, three day series with the Augusta GreenJackets with a doubleheader at The Joe tomorrow starting at 6:05 pm. Charleston will roll out RHP Daris Vargas (4-2, 2.32) in game one with RHP Anyelo Gomez (1-1, 3.18) slated to go in game number two. Augusta's starters are to be announced.

Enjoy all 14 innings of action with your pup as part of a Monday Dog Day doubleheader in conjunction with Camp Bow Wow and Z93 Jamz. Enjoy $1 beers and $1 hot dogs presented by Miller Lite. In between games, Lowcountry baseball and softball teams will be recognized. The RiverDogs and Blackbaud, the local software and services leader for the global philanthropic community, will also share the spotlight with local nonprofit Berkeley Habitat for Humanity.

Ticket information for the RiverDogs homestand and any of the remaining home games can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. Those that can't make it to the park can follow every pitch of the RiverDogs season on WTMA 1250 AM and streaming online at riverdogs.com. Listen on WTMA 1250 AM in the tri-county area.

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 12, 2016


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