SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Grasshoppers Bound Past RiverDogs, 11-6

Published on July 13, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


GREENSBORO, N.C. - Daniel Black and Ryan Fisher smacked home runs as the Greensboro Grasshoppers toppled the Charleston RiverDogs, 11-6, in South Atlantic League action Wednesday night in front of a crowd of 3,634 fans at NewBridge Bank Park.

Greensboro improved to 11-9 this half and 51-39 overall with the victory, while Charleston fell to 9-11 and 35-55. Noah Perio and Marcell Ozuna each notched four base hits to lead a 13-hit attack for the Grasshoppers.

A night after Charleston plated two first inning runs, Greensboro jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a first inning marker against RiverDogs starter Scottie Allen (3-1).

Perio and Ozuna stroked consecutive singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Allen got a double play ball from Christian Yelich to clear the bases, but that was enough to score Perio and give the Grasshoppers the advantage.

Charleston answered back immediately, piecing together a four-hit rally to move in front, 2-1, versus Greensboro hurler Rett Varner (5-2).

Mike Ferraro got the ball rolling with a single, and Garrison Lassiter followed up with a single of his own on a line drive to center field. Jose Mojica then grounded into a fielder's choice, plating Ferraro to knot the score. Eduardo Sosa kept the line moving with another single, and Anderson Feliz punched the final base knock of the frame through the left side of the infield to stake the RiverDogs to the lead.

That advantage would be short lived, however, as the Grasshoppers tied the tally in the bottom of the frame, and then took command with a five-run fourth inning.

Greensboro did its damage with a single swing of the bat in the second inning, as Black swatted his fifth homer of the year deep over the right field fence.

The Grasshoppers played long ball again to start the merry-go-round in the fourth, as Fisher went yard for the second consecutive night, cracking his 13th blast of the campaign over the right field wall. Allen recovered to retire the next two batters, but could not find the capper on the inning as the RiverDogs' deficit swelled to 7-2.

Aaron Dudley began the assault when he was hit by a pitch, and later came around to score on a Perio RBI single. Ozuna stepped to the dish next, and scalded a two-run double to left to extend the Greensboro lead to 6-2. Ozuna then showcased his speed to swipe third for his 11th stolen base of the year, and advanced the final 90 feet to the plate on Yelich's RBI single.

The destructive fourth spelled the end of Allen's night, as the right-hander failed to work at least 5.0 innings for the first time in his four starts with the RiverDogs. Allen yielded the seven runs on ten hits, while failing to strike out a single man.

After Kelvin Perez threw up a scoreless fifth inning, Tommy Kahnle labored through the sixth inning out of the RiverDogs bullpen, enabling the Grasshoppers to extend their lead to 11-2.

Greensboro filled the sacks with one out thanks to a Dudley walk and singles by Perio and Ozuna. Yelich built on his already solid night, rapping a RBI single to right field for an 8-2 lead. Kahnle's issues with control reared its ugly head again, as he issued back-to-back RBI walks to Mark Canha and Fisher, ending his night and putting Charleston in an eight-run hole.

Manny Barreda emerged out of the Charleston bullpen next and set down both batters he faced, but Wilfredo Gimenez was able to produce the 11th run with a RBI groundout.

The RiverDogs flexed their own muscle to cut into their hefty deficit in the top of the seventh, compiling four runs off Varner to draw within 11-6.

A wild pitch scored Mojica from third base for the first tally of the inning, before Ramon Flores and Kelvin De Leon launched back-to-back home runs for the other three runs. Flores belted a two-run shot to the opposite field for his ninth round tripper of the season, while De Leon lifted a Varner offering clear of the left field fence for his 11th jack.

Varner was mostly effective until being bitten by the long ball, yielding six runs on ten hits and a walk, while striking out one over 6.2 frames.

Despite the RiverDogs' seventh inning fireworks, the Grasshoppers were able to preserve the win with relative ease. Michael Ojala and Grant Dayton teamed to shut out Charleston for the final 2.1 innings, sending Greensboro to its fourth straight win.

The RiverDogs send right-hander Jose A. Ramirez (3-3, 4.79 ERA) to the mound in the third contest of a four-game series with the Grasshoppers on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Fellow righty Jheyson Manzueta (2-8, 6.69 ERA) is slated to toe the slab for Greensboro.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 13, 2011


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