SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Morrison Shines as Crawdads Pinch RiverDogs, 9-6

Published on July 14, 2009 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - Hickory third baseman Erik Morrison went 5-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored to lead the Crawdads to a 9-6 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs in South Atlantic League action Tuesday night in front of 3,098 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

With the victory, the Crawdads even the four-game series at one win apiece and improve to 11-7 in the season's second half (44-43 overall) while the RiverDogs, who committed an uncharacteristic four errors, slip to 8-11 (47-42).

Charleston took a 1-0 lead in the second when Garrison Lassiter drew a walk, advanced to second on Addison Maruszak's single to left and circled home to score the game's first run when Taylor Grote slapped a RBI single to right.

The Crawdads knotted the game at 1-1 in the third when Leury Garcia reached on a bunt single, moved to second on a groundout and stole third. Garcia would trot home on a throwing error by Lassiter.

The RiverDogs seized a 2-1 advantage in the third when Jose Pirela drew a walk and sprinted around the bases to score on Corban Joseph's RBI triple off the center field wall.

Hickory recaptured lead at 4-2 in the fourth when Jared Bolden cracked a RBI single and scampered into second on a throwing error by Charleston center fielder Abraham Almonte. RiverDogs starter David Phelps uncorked a wild pitch that allowed a run and Garcia reached on a fielding error by Phelps to score Bolden.

Charleston cut into Hickory's lead when Addison Maruszak singled to left and bumped to second when Grote drew a walk. Mitch Abeita lined a RBI single to left that drove in Maruszak to make the score 4-3.

Doug Hogan extended the Crawdads' advantage to 6-3 in the fifth when he hammered a 1-0 Phelps offering over the left field wall for his eighth home run of the season, a two-run shot that brought home Morrison who reached on an infield single.

The RiverDogs sliced into the Crawdads lead in the fifth when Almonte laced a leadoff double and scored on Corban Joseph's RBI single. Joseph advanced to second on Crawdads left fielder Cristian Santana's fielding error, and Melky Mesa crushed a RBI triple to center that plated Joseph to cut the lead to 6-5.

With one swing of the bat, Morrison crushed the first pitch of the seventh off reliever Chuck Notle over the left field fence for his 13th home run of the season, a solo shot that elongated Hickory's lead to 7-5.

The visitors increased their lead to 9-5 in the ninth on back-to-back RBI singles by Fry and Santana.

Charleston added a tally in the bottom of the ninth on a RBI single by Joseph.

Phelps suffered the defeat, dropping his record to 9-3 after he completed five full stanzas and was charged with six runs - four earned - on seven hits and a walk while striking out four. Nolte went three complete innings and fanned four while Cory Arbiso struck out two in his one inning of work.

Hickory starter Joe Wieland was handed a no-decision after he allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five in four full innings. Reliever Yoon-Hee Nam earned the victory that improved his season's record to 8-1 as he threw four innings and fanned five while allowing two runs on five hits.

Maruszak and Joseph each had three hits to lead the RiverDogs, who had12 hits, while the Crawdads collected 13 knocks, led by Morrison's five. Hickory also got two hits each from Santana and Bolden.

Charleston turns to 2009 Futures Game selection and southpaw Manny Banuelos (7-3, 2.20 ERA) while Hickory counters with righty Wilmer Font (5-1, 3.61 ERA) in Game 3 of this four-game block that is set for Wednesday at 7:05p.m.

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 14, 2009


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