SAL1 Charleston RiverDogs

Tourists Top 'Dogs, 5-4, in a Thriller

June 9, 2011 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


CHARLESTON, S.C. - Rafael Ortega's 10th inning RBI single snapped a 4-4 tie, as the Asheville Tourists edged the Charleston RiverDogs, 5-4, in South Atlantic League action Thursday night in front of a crowd of 5,391 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

Asheville upped its mark to 29-31 with the victory, while Charleston dropped its fifth straight in falling to 23-37, and has dropped 15 of 18 overall with 12 of those losses coming by three runs or less.

In the early innings, Charleston starter Zach Nuding was up to the task of opposing SAL and MiLB strikeout leader Edward Cabrera of Asheville. Nuding set down the side 1-2-3 in the opening frame, and worked around a single and a walk to escape the second unscathed.

One swing of the bat put the Tourists on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Cristhian Adames cracked a 3-2 fastball over the right-field wall for his third home run of the season, staking Asheville to a 1-0 lead.

Charleston responded immediately in the bottom of the third, as Jose Mojica delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Anderson Feliz from second base, tying the tally at 1-1.

Nuding was plagued by the long ball again in the top of the fourth, as the Tourists regained the advantage, 3-1. Dustin Garneau reached on an error to open the door for Mark Tracy, who smoked an opposite field two-run shot over the right field fence for this third of the campaign.

Asheville's cushion swelled to 4-1 in the top of the fifth, as Nuding allowed back-to-back one-out base knocks. Ortega legged out a double to the right-center field gap, and came home to cross the plate on a Helder Velazquez RBI single up the middle.

Aaron Ledesma removed Nuding after five innings in favor of left-hander Kramer Sneed. Nuding was solid, if unspectacular, while recording his fifteen outs. The burly, 6-4 right-hander yielded the four runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk, striking out four in the process.

Mojica's RBI single was the last hit for Charleston until it inched closer with a single score in the sixth inning. Rob Segedin, Gary Sanchez, and Kelvin De Leon pieced together three straight singles to load the bases with one out against Cabrera. The 23-year old Dominican left-hander limited the damage, though, as the RiverDogs' only run would come on an Eduardo Sosa RBI groundout, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Cabrera displayed a knack for navigating his way around harm, surrendering only the two runs despite tying a season-high by allowing nine hits. Rated the No. 30 prospect in the Rockies' system by Baseball America, Cabrera also walked two and struck out six.

Bruce Kern (3-4) relieved Cabrera in the eighth, and could not hold the lead as Charleston tallied two runs on two hits and a key error.

Sanchez started the rally with his second single, and moved up to second two batters later, when Sosa reached on an error by Asheville second baseman Russell Wilson. Feliz made Kern pay for the miscue, lacing a two-run double to the right-center field alley to square the ledger at 4 apiece.

Sneed afforded the RiverDogs bats an opportunity to forge a comeback, penning 3.0 perfect innings of relief while fanning five.

Kelvin Perez (0-3) breezed through the Tourists in order in the ninth, but could not keep them from hanging a crooked number and moving back in front in the tenth. Wilson plugged the hole on the left side of the infield to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and plated the winning run on Ortega's RBI single.

Juan Perez made the 4-3 advantage stick in the last of the tenth, notching his 12th save of the campaign with a quick 1-2-3 frame.

BALLPARK FUN: Who doesn't love bacon' The RiverDogs do, and the club went all-out to relate pregame and in-game promotions to bacon, whether it was the meat itself or off-beat references to Kevin Bacon. It was also another Budweiser Thirsty Thursday. With $1 beers in the Ashley View Pub and fresh music courtesy of the stylings of DJ Natty Heavy, the extended weekend got off to a rollicking start at The Joe.

UP NEXT: Right-hander Shane Greene (2-5, 4.50 ERA) heads to the mound as the RiverDogs host the Tourists in the middle contest of the three-game set. Fellow righty Albert Campos (3-4, 6.75 ERA) is slated to toe the slab for Asheville, rated as the Rockies' 13th best prospect according to Baseball America.

Nationally syndicated baseball talk show host Ed Randall's major and minor league baseball-wide Bat for the Cure organization has raised funds and awareness for the fight against prostate cancer and the RiverDogs are proud to share in the initiative. Representatives from the foundation will be on hand, and both teams will wear blue wrist bands to call attention to the prevalent disease. On Force Protection Industries, Inc. Red Shirt Friday , all patrons wearing a red shirt to the game will blend in with the players on the field and receive a $1 off their ticket. If you're feeling charitable - like many of our fans - one may donate that dollar to a military family with parents fighting overseas. Piggly Wiggly Postgame Fireworks illuminate the night sky as always, making sure everyone goes home a winner.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 9, 2011


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