Pelicans Punish RiverDogs Late to Seal Series Loss
August 3, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release
Charleston RiverDogs pitcher Jacob Kmatz
(Charleston RiverDogs)
Charleston, SC - For a third consecutive game, the RiverDogs managed just one run, falling 9-1 to Myrtle Beach on Sunday evening in front of 4,647 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The loss is Charleston's fourth consecutive at the hands of the Pelicans.
The RiverDogs, now 19-15 in the second half, stand 6.5 games behind the first-place Pelicans with 31 games remaining in the regular season.
Myrtle Beach picked up where it left off from last night's 19-1 romp and immediately got after starter Jacob Kmatz, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning.
After back-to-back singles from Ty Southisene and Alexey Lumpuy, Leonel Espinoza followed with an automatic double over the left field wall to score Southisene. Matt Halbach hit a sacrifice fly to deep center to bring Lumpuy home, pushing the lead to 2-0.
After his rocky start, Kmatz retired six Pelican batters in a row but ran into bad luck in the top of the fourth.
Halbach sent a pop up to shallow right field to open the inning, but the ball dropped in between Narciso Polanco and Ryan McCoy for a hit. The miscue would cost the 'Dogs, as Derik Alcantara pushed in Halbach on a sacrifice fly to grow the lead to 3-0.
The RiverDogs inched closer and scored their first run in the bottom half of the fourth inning.
Alberth Palma singled and reached second on a wild pitch, and McCoy did the rest by slapping an RBI-double that carried away from Alcantara, cutting the lead to 3-1.
Pelicans starter Alfredo Romero finished the inning and ended his night there. Through 4.0 innings he allowed one run on two hits, with two walks and strikeouts.
In the sixth, Myrtle Beach tallied another run to grow the lead back at three, as Angel Cepeda barreled a line drive to left field at 106 miles per hour that scored Espinoza from second.
Kmatz got through six innings before being replaced by Jadon Bercovich. He gave up four runs on seven hits, with no walks and five punchouts, three of them with his curveball.
The Pelicans opened the floodgates and added five insurance runs in the seventh inning.
Bercovich exited with the trainer after a walk and hit by pitch, and Bryce Shaffer, on his 24th birthday, entered the game with men on first and second with no outs.
Shaffer walked the first batter he faced and quickly the bases were loaded. Lumpuy hit a soft dribbler to Jose Monzon, and he threw the ball in time to home plate to get the out, but Nathan Flewelling was off of the plate and the run counted. A bloop single by Halbach added another run. Two infield singles by Escobar and Alcantara pushed across three more runs in total, making the score 9-1.
Charleston failed to muster a comeback and took their first six-game series loss of the year at Riley Park.
Ballpark Fun: Today was Charlie T. RiverDog's birthday, as famous mascots from all around South Carolina took time out of their busy schedules to join the celebration. The first 1,000 fans through the gates were given a Charlie bobblehead. The entire crowd sang him a joyful happy birthday song in between innings. He also won a highly contested Mascot Race by possibly taking off early. However, Charlie's big day was not without drama. Chelsea T. RiverDog got caught snuggling up on the "Coldplay Cam" with Cool Ray, mascot of the Charleston Stingrays.
The RiverDogs travel to Augusta on Tuesday to open a six-game series with the GreenJackets. The series opener is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Charleston returns to The Joe for a six game homestand with Hickory, Aug. 12-17.
Images from this story
 Charleston RiverDogs pitcher Jacob Kmatz |
Carolina League Stories from August 3, 2025
- Pelicans Dominate RiverDogs 9-1 to Clinch Series - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Woodpeckers Bounce Back, Win Sunday Series Finale - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Pelicans Punish RiverDogs Late to Seal Series Loss - Charleston RiverDogs
- FredNats and Fireflies Canceled - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Columbia Fireflies August 3 Game Rained out at Segra Park - Columbia Fireflies
- Salem Holds off Lynchburg on Sunday - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Delmarva's Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short in Kannapolis - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 8.3 vs Fredericksburg - Columbia Fireflies
- Mudcats Canceled Sunday at Augusta - Carolina Mudcats
- Series Finale with Mudcats Canceled Due to Weather - Augusta GreenJackets
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