Sand Gnats Buzz by RiverDogs, 5-2
June 21, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release
CHARLESTON, SC - Savannah first baseman Stefan Welch drove home three runs with a sixth inning bases-loaded double as the Sand Gnats buzzed by the Charleston RiverDogs, 5-2, in South Atlantic League action Sunday evening in front of 4,024 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
With the victory, the Sand Gnats finish the first half of the regular season with a .500 record at 35-35 while the RiverDogs slip to 39-31 and a second place finish in the Southern Division, although winning as many games as Greenville, the division champion, had won. The Drive takes the first half title on percentage point.
Savannah also took the four-game series, three-games to one.
Following five shutout innings by RiverDogs starter David Phelps (7-2), the Sand Gnats captured a 3-0 lead in the sixth when Wilmer Flores slapped a single up the middle and advanced to second on Sean Ratliff's single to right. After Joshua Satin walked to load the bases, Welch lined a three-run double to center that knocked home Flores, Ratliff and Satin.
Charleston responded with a run in the home half of the sixth when Jose Pirela lined a leadoff double to left, dashed to third on a wild pitch and scored on Ray Kruml's groundout to make the score 3-1.
The Sand Gnats posted another run in the eighth to extend the lead to 4-1when Flores doubled and scored on Ratliff's RBI single. The visitors added their fifth run in the ninth when Jean Luc Blaquiere tripled and scored on a passed ball.
Charleston staged an abbreviated comeback in the ninth and scored once when Abraham Almonte singled, moved to third on Addison Maruszak's single and scored on Neall French's RBI single.
For the game, Savannah collected 12 hits with Flores and Blaquiere leading the way with three knocks apiece while Charleston recorded nine hits with Pirela and French pacing the team as they also collected three.
Sand Gnats starter Jeurys Familia secured the victory with 6.2 innings of work to improve his record to 5-4 as he permitted one earned run on five hits while walking one and striking out a pair. Reliever Josh Stinson pitched 1.2 innings and gave up a run on four hits and a strikeout while closer Rhiner Cruz collected his 10th save by striking out the two batters he faced.
Phelps suffered his second defeat of the season as he pitched six full stanzas and was charged with three earned runs on eight hits, two walks and one strikeout. Reliever Chuck Nolte went two frames and surrendered a run on three hits and fanned a pair while Pat Venditte pitched the ninth inning and gave up a run on one hit.
Six members of the RiverDogs - Dan Brewer, Melky Mesa, Hector Noesi, Pat Venditte, Manager Torre Tyson and pitching coach Jeff Ware - will make the journey to Charleston, W. Va. to participate in the 50th South Atlantic League All-Star Game at Appalachian Power Park, home of the Northern Division's West Virginia Power, on Tuesday, June 23.
Following the three-day all-star break, the RiverDogs travel to Savannah to battle a five-game series at Historic Grayson Stadium starting Thursday, June 25, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. Both teams will announce their starting pitchers at a later date.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 21, 2009
- Sand Gnats Buzz by RiverDogs, 5-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
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- Suns Lose First-Half Finale Against Shorebirds - Hagerstown Suns
- One Hit Wonder: Tourists shut out, 2-0 - Asheville Tourists
- Scelfo, Barnese power Hot Rods past Tourists - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- BlueClaws Make Splash with Comeback - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Hoppers keep bats going to grab sweep - Greensboro Grasshoppers
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