SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Roller's Round-Tripper Helps RiverDogs Earn Series Split

Published on May 28, 2011 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


HICKORY, N.C. - Kyle Roller's two-run home run headlined a four-run fifth inning as the Charleston RiverDogs rallied for a second straight night, defeating the Hickory Crawdads, 6-3, in South Atlantic League action Saturday night in front of a crowd of 2,992 fans at L.P. Frans Stadium.

Charleston won its second straight and secured a series split in improving to 22-27, while Hickory dropped its second in a row to fall to 26-22.

A night after delivering a clutch RBI single in his 2011 RiverDogs debut, Francisco Arcia came through with another run-producing hit to put Charleston in front against Hickory starter Nicholas Tepesch (0-3) in the top of the second. Arcia pelted a two-out double to center field to plate Eduardo Sosa all the way from first base.

It didn't take long for the Crawdads to respond, however, as Christian Villanueva led off the bottom of the frame with his fourth home run of the year. RiverDogs starter Mikey O'Brien (3-3) subsequently issued a walk and a single, but found his way out of further trouble by getting Teodoro Martinez to ground into a double play.

The leadoff man caused problems for O'Brien again in the third, as Hickory pushed ahead of Charleston, 2-1. Jurickson Profar laced a double to right field, and came in to score two batters later on a Josh Richmond sacrifice fly.

Villanueva reached on an error and tallied his second run of the contest to advance the Crawdads' advantage to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Jose Mojica's miscue put Villanueva aboard to start the inning, and the 19-year old Mexican third baseman went on to steal a base and scurry home to touch the plate on a double play ball.

Tepesch found his groove and set down the RiverDogs 1-2-3 in both the third and fourth innings, but had it fall apart in the fifth, as Charleston forged a four-run frame for a 5-3 lead.

Arcia contributed to the rally once more, drawing a leadoff walk. Mojica followed with a double to place men at second and third with nobody out, and Slade Heathcott and Anderson Feliz stroked consecutive RBI groundouts to knot the score at 3-3. Just when it looked as if Tepesch would limit the harm, Rob Segedin singled to keep the inning alive for Roller. The hulking, left-handed swinging first baseman cracked his eighth home run of the year, and second in as many nights, pulling a two-run shot over the right field fence.

The four-run fifth spelled the end of Tepesch's night. Tepesch yielded the five runs in his 5.0 innings of work, giving up seven hits and three walks, while fanning one.

Charleston was unfazed by the pitching change, and added an insurance run off Joseph Van Meter in the top of the sixth. Mojica recorded his second double and third overall hit of the night, powering a line drive to center field to drive in Sosa from second base.

O'Brien induced his third double play to avoid damage in the bottom of the inning and cap his outing in style. The 5-11 right-hander lasted 6.0 innings, permitting the three runs (two earned) on seven hits and four walks, managing to strike out three in the process.

Manny Barreda relieved O'Brien and continued his stellar work out of the Charleston bullpen, authoring two scoreless innings while allowing just two walks and fanning three.

Kelvin Perez slammed the door shut in the ninth, notching his team-best fourth save of the campaign with a spotless ninth inning.

The RiverDogs head to Savannah for the second leg of the seven-game road trip, where they will begin a three-game set on Sunday night at 6:05 pm. Right-hander Zach Nuding (4-4, 6.02 ERA) looks to rebound from back-to-back rough outings for Charleston, while fellow righty Erik Goeddel (2-2, 2.72 ERA) is expected to take the mound for the first place Sand Gnats.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 28, 2011


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