RiverDogs Stage Wild Rally to Top Rome, 9-8, in Ten Innings
Published on April 15, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston RiverDogs overcame a four-run ninth inning hole to force extra innings and defeat the Rome Braves, 9-8, in South Atlantic League action Friday night in front of a sellout crowd of 7,018 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
With the victory, Charleston improves to 4-5, while Rome falls to 3-6.
Trailing 8-4 in the last of the ninth inning, Charleston mounted a dramatic comeback off Rome reliever Wes Alsup. Slade Heathcott beat out an infield single and Anderson Feliz reached on a throwing error to set the table for the middle of the order. J.R. Murphy stepped to the plate and drilled a double into the left field corner to score two runs, and then came home himself when Braves shortstop Elmer Reyes' relay throw sailed into the RiverDogs dugout. Suddenly within a single run, Rob Segedin forced a full count and took a fastball to the opposite field, depositing his first home run of the year over the right field fence to knot the game at 8-8.
Nathan Forer (1-0) made the rally stick in the top of the 10th, which was all the RiverDogs offense needed to go back to work against Braves' left-hander Tyler Stovall (0-1). Jose Mojica worked a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second by Heathcott. Feliz followed with an infield single and Murphy walked to load the bases and make a hero of Segedin once more as he was hit by a 3-1 pitch to drive in the decisive run.
The wild final two frames took starting pitcher Kramer Sneed off the losing hook. Sneed turned in a workmanlike 5.1 innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) while scattering nine hits and fanning five to bounce back from a rocky first outing.
The RiverDogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Heathcott worked a full count before reaching on a hit by pitch. Heathcott then advanced to third on a bouncing single through the middle by Feliz and came across to score the game's first run on a Murphy double play ball. Rome answered right back in the top of the second inning as David Rohm connected for his first home run of the season off Sneed, launching a long solo shot over the left-centerfield fence to knot the score, 1-1.
The Braves claimed a 2-1 advantage in the third when Reyes laced a double to the left field corner to chase home Matt Lipka all the way from first base.
Charleston scratched out a run in the third to even the ledger at 2-2. Heathcott grounded a single just inside the first base bag, Feliz walked, and Murphy reached on an error to load the bases for Segedin. Segedin drove a sacrifice fly to right-centerfield to score Heathcott for the second time of the night as Rome center fielder Keenan Wiley made a full-extension diving catch to prevent further damage.
An unearned run enabled the Braves to retake the lead, 3-2, in the sixth. Rohm reached safely on a throwing error by Segedin and then came around to score when Edward Salcedo plugged the right centerfield gap with a double to the wall.
Rome staged a two-out rally off Charleston reliever Manny Barreda to forge a three-run seventh inning. Matt Lipka led off the frame with a single and stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch with two outs. Rohm lofted a bloop single to shallow right to drive in Lipka in front of Salcedo, who put the exclamation point on the harm with a two-run home run over the left field scoreboard to advance the cushion to 6-2.
Right-handed reliever Ryan Weber shut down the RiverDogs in 3.0 innings of relief before Charleston pieced together three consecutive one-out hits to slice the deficit in half in the eighth. Kelvin De Leon singled, Eduardo Sosa ripped a double down the right field line, and Kelvin Castro stroked a single to center to chase Weber from the mound and bring the tally to 6-4. Alsup stopped the bleeding there, though, inducing a double play grounder on his first pitch to Mojica to preserve the lead.
Once again, the Braves responded to the RiverDogs charge, plating two runs against Forer in the top of the ninth to move back in front by four, 8-4. Reyes reached on a Segedin throwing error - his second of the night - to lead off the inning and scored on a fielder's choice groundout by Rohm. Salcedo proceeded to build off his monstrous two-run bomb, serving an RBI single to score Rohm.
Aaron Ledesma's club refused to go quietly, however, delivering a victory for the first-year skipper in his home managerial debut.
The RiverDogs and Braves play game two of the four-game set tomorrow in a 7:05 first pitch. Right-hander Zach Nuding (0-0, 7.36 ERA) will take the ball for Charleston versus right-hander David Filak (1-0, 3.60 ERA) of Rome.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 15, 2011
- Suns Darkened by BlueClaws on 2011 Home Opener - Hagerstown Suns
- RiverDogs Stage Wild Rally to Top Rome, 9-8, in Ten Innings - Charleston RiverDogs
- GreenJackets Earn 5-3 Home Opener Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Asheville tops Legends in rain-shortened game, 2-1 - Lexington Legends
- Gnats Treat Opening Night Crowd to Thrilling 4-3 Win - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Drive Drop First Road Game in Heartbreaking Fashion, 4-3 - Greenville Drive
- Intimidators edge 'Dads, 5-3 - Hickory Crawdads
- BlueClaws Win Road Opener 8-4 over Hagerstown - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Intimidators win home opener - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Pettit Dominates Grasshoppers in 6-2 Shorebirds' Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Gnats Game Notes: Friday, April 15 Vs. Greenville - Savannah Sand Gnats
- Braves to Participate in Strike out Hunger - Rome Emperors
- Power Game Notes - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Alvarez Rejoins Rome - Rome Emperors
- Intimidators Return from Road Trip with League-Best 6-1 Record - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Hagerstown Stifled in Game Four Finale as Lexington Wins a Shutout - Hagerstown Suns
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