SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Sanchez Sends Tourists Packing in Series Opener

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


ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Gary Sanchez's three-run home run highlighted a five-run ninth inning as the Charleston RiverDogs rallied for a 9-8 win over the Asheville Tourists in South Atlantic League action Monday night in front of a crowd of 1,588 fans at McCormick Field.

Charleston snapped a six-game losing streak to improve to 16-21 this half and 42-65 overall in dramatic fashion, while Asheville fell to 19-18 this half and 50-56.

Charleston struck for a first inning run to take a 1-0 lead versus Asheville starter Nick Schnaitmann.

Jose Toussen worked a leadoff walk, swiped his 13th base of the year to move into scoring position at second, and came plateward on Shane Brown's RBI groundout.

Schnaitmann was unable to settle into a groove in the second, as the RiverDogs tacked on three more tallies to move in front 4-0.

Taylor Grote clubbed a double to center field, and scored when Kelvin De Leon reached on a fielding error by Tourists' third baseman Helder Velazquez. Mike Ferraro followed with a single to move De Leon to second, and Jose Mojica laced an opposite field RBI double to chase in De Leon for a 3-0 RiverDogs' advantage. Toussen capped the scoring a batter later with a RBI groundout.

Left-hander Vidal Nuno made his debut on the bump for the RiverDogs, and was solid in 4.0 innings of work. The 24-year old yielded his only run in the fourth, when Corey Dickerson got into his 22nd home run of the year over the right field wall. Overall, Nuno scattered seven hits while collecting his 12 outs, five of which came via the strikeout.

With Nuno out of the game, Asheville went to work against the Charleston bullpen. Mike Recchia hurled a scoreless fifth for Aaron Ledesma's club, but the Tourists registered a marker in the sixth and three more in the seventh to forge ahead, 5-4.

Long ball was the calling card for the Tourists again in the sixth, as Kyle Parker took Recchia yard over the left field fence for 18th circuit clout of the campaign.

A more steady approach paced Asheville in the sixth against the RiverDogs' Francisco Rondon (2-2), as they assumed the lead on the strength of three hits and two Charleston errors.

Chandler Laurent found base safely on a throwing error by Toussen at third to start the rally. Brett Tanos then smacked a double over the head of Ferraro in center field, scoring Laurent to make it a one-run game and moving 90 feet away himself on an errant relay throw by Anderson Feliz.

Rafael Ortega kept the line moving with a line drive single to right, evening the ledger at 4 apiece. The Tourists then implemented some small ball into their potent attack, as Cristhian Adames laid down a sacrifice bunt to slide Ortega to second. Dustin Garneau delivered a clutch two-out base knock for the 5-4 advantage, pumping a Rondon offering into center for a RBI single.

The rally took Schnaitmann off the losing hook, as he was rewarded for battling through 7.0 frames after a rocky beginning. Schnaitmann permitted the four runs (two earned) on nine hits and two walks, while fanning two.

Isaiah Froneberger weaved around two hits to maintain the lead in the top of the eighth, before the Asheville offense plated two insurance runs off Rondon in the bottom of the frame.

Mark Tracy was issued a free pass, Ortega singled with two outs, and Adames ushered both to the plate with a two-run double to center field for a 7-4 Asheville cushion.

The insurance was rendered naught in the top of the ninth, as the RiverDogs responded to rack up five runs against Tourists' closer Juan Perez (4-5).

Mojica walked to start the wheels churning, and Charleston proceeded to load the bases with one out thanks to singles from Feliz and Brown. A crucial error by Tracy at first allowed two runs to score as the RiverDogs moved within 7-6, and Brown scampered to third while Kevin Mahoney cruised into second. Sanchez then provided the big blow of the inning, powering a three-run bomb over the right field fence for his 11th dinger of the season.

Despite giving up five runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk over 2.0 frames, Rondon garnered the victory while picking up three punch outs.

Mark Montgomery gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth, but persevered to record his eighth save in eight opportunities. Garneau doubled and scored on Dickerson's RBI groundout to make it 9-8, but Montgomery fanned Tracy looking to end it there.

The RiverDogs and Tourists meet again on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Scottie Allen (4-1, 6.10 ERA) is slated to pitch for Charleston, versus fellow righty Peter Tago (2-3, 5.66 ERA) of Asheville.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 1, 2011


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