SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

R'Dogs Bark Early, Silence Rome Late in 10-8 Win

Published on July 1, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


ROME, Ga. - The RiverDogs scored four runs in the second and fifth innings and hung on for dear life in a wild ninth inning in a 10-8 triumph over Rome in South Atlantic League action at State Mutual Stadium Friday night.

With the win, Charleston improves to 4-5 this half and 30-49 overall, while Rome dropped its seventh straight game, falling to 1-8 this half and 26-53 overall.

Charleston struck for four runs in the second against Rome's All-Star right-hander Caleb Brewer, getting it done with one swing. Kevin Mahoney and Ramon Flores singled, while Kelvin De Leon walked to load the bases. Garrison Lassiter came to the dish and cranked a grand slam over the right-centerfield wall for a 4-0 lead. It was the RiverDogs first grand slam of the season and Lassiter's first home run with the RiverDogs since September 2009.

Rome answered quickly against Charleston starter Scottie Allen, posting three two-out runs in cutting the deficit to 4-3 on three consecutive hits. David Rohm clocked a RBI single, Robby Hefflinger laced a RBI double, while Hilton Richardson hit a RBI single to break a 0-for-12 batting slump.

Evan Gattis' double-play groundout in the third inning brought home another Braves run to tie the game at 4-4.

The RiverDogs notched their second four-run frame of the game in the fifth, retaking the lead at 8-4. Eduardo Sosa scored on a wild pitch, Mahoney drove in a run with a bases loaded walk, while Flores looped a two-run double down the left-field line to account for the tallies.

Edward Salcedo inched Rome to 8-5 in the bottom of the inning with a RBI double.

Allen (2-0) worked 5.0 innings in his first SAL road start, giving up five runs on eight hits with a trio of walks and five punchouts.

Rome loaded the bases in the sixth against RiverDogs reliever Manny Barreda, and Matt Lipka's groundball double play brought home a run to trim the score to 8-6. Barreda got an inning-ending flyout from former Coastal Carolina standout Tommy La Stella to thwart any further threat.

Brewer (4-6) gave up eight runs - five earned - on six hits in 7.0 innings, while walking three and fanning six in absorbing his fourth consecutive defeat.

Charleston added a run in the eighth, when De Leon's double play groundout scored Kyle Higashioka from third, extending the lead to 9-6.

Kelvin Perez was summoned from the RiverDogs bullpen in the eighth and allowed a two-out RBI single to Lipka making the score 9-7 Charleston, but Sosa threw out Hefflinger at the plate to end the inning.

Gary Sanchez gave Charleston a much-needed insurance run in the ninth via a RBI single bringing the advantage to 10-7.

Rome scratched out a run in the bottom of the ninth against RiverDogs reliever Mark Montgomery on Salcedo's RBI single. Montgomery rebounded to fan the next two hitters, and struck out the following two after that, but wild pitches on the third strike allowed both runners to reach to fill the sacks. With the bases loaded, Montgomery flashed a devastating slider to dispose of Hefflinger, which not only notched his fifth strikeout of the inning but his first SAL save as well.

Game two, set for Saturday at 7 p.m., features Charleston right-hander Jose Ramirez (3-2, 4.15 ERA) in his first start off disabled list against Rome right-hander Gary Moran (1-0, 3.24 ERA), who makes his first start for the Braves.

Check out the Charleston RiverDogs Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



South Atlantic League Stories from July 1, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central