SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Jason Lopez's Career Night Can't Carry Dogs to Extra Innings Win

Published on August 4, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


SALISBURY, Md. - Charleston catcher Jason Lopez carried the load with a 3-hit, 3 RBI night, pushing the RiverDogs out to an eighth inning, two-run lead, but the Delmarva Shorebirds rallied to force extras and handed the RiverDogs their second straight loss, 6-5, in 10 innings on Saturday night from Perdue Stadium.

Lopez smacked three extra-base hits on the evening. The 20-year-old backstop homered for the eighth time this season, a towering leadoff shot to left that put Charleston (51-58, 18-23) on the board in the second. He roped his second double of the game to plate the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs in the eighth. Lopez continued to add to his career-best home run total after going yard just once in each of his first three professional seasons.

The RiverDogs dropped their fifth straight extra inning contest and are now 2-7 in such games this year. Holding a two-run lead headed to the ninth, a pair of Holy City errors extended catcher Jean Carrillo's single to third base and scored Cadyn Grenier. Second baseman Mason McCoy made it 5-5 with an RBI single to center off reliever Daniel Alvarez (0-1), who threw away an errant delivery from Frederick Cuevas for the second miscue of the two-error play the at-bat prior. In the tenth, Wilkerman Garcia struck out after failing to bunt over Ricky Surum. A lapse in judgement on the base paths would allow the Shorebirds to nab Surum for the second out on a fielder's choice play hit into by Oswaldo Cabrera. Charleston failed to score for the sixth consecutive inning under Minor League Baseball's new extra inning rule that places a runner on second base to begin the frame.

Delmarva (56-53, 21-20) first baseman Seamus Curran worked a nine-pitch at -bat in the bottom of the tenth before singling down the right field line for the walk-off, game-winner. Third baseman Jean Carlos Encarnacion enjoyed his second two-hit night in as many days and scored the winning run after coming over from the Braves organization in the Kevin Gausman trade at the deadline.

Curran homered to chase RiverDogs starter Roansy Contreras to tie the game at 2-2 in the sixth, his 12th of the season, before Delmarva staked their first lead later in the inning. The 18-year-old righty came one out shy of spinning six shutout; he had faced the minimum the first time through the order and scattered just four hits across 5 2/3 with five punchouts in a no-decision.

The defeat marked Charleston's 18th loss in a 25-game span, pushing the Dogs to a season-low five games under in the second-half.

Upcoming

The RiverDogs try and salvage a series split on Sunday evening at Purdue Stadium at 5:05 p.m. Charleston sends southpaw Reiver Sanmartin (1-4, 4.67) to the bump, opposed by Orioles' No. 19 prospect Brenan Hanifee (7-5, 2.89). The contest can be tuned into on "The Big Talker" WTMA 1250 AM and streaming live at riverdogs.com and the RiverDogs' TuneIn radio station.

RiverDogs single-game tickets, including options to the Riley Park Club, are available for the remainder of the 2018 campaign, the club's 25th season as the RiverDogs and their "175th season in dog years." Ticket information can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 4, 2018


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