Charleston's Ninth Inning Rally Comes Up Just Short

RiverDogs score two but strand the bases loaded in the ninth, lose 5-4

CHARLESTON, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs scored four runs in the final two innings, but stranded the bases loaded to the end the game and fell 5-4 to the Rome Braves on Sunday evening in South Atlantic League action in front of 5,217 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in the penultimate game of the season.

With the loss, the RiverDogs drop to 35-34 in the second half and 74-63 overall. The Braves improve to 37-32 in second half play and 73-65 overall with the victory.

Rome jumped on Charleston's starter Eric Wooten early scoring three runs on four hits and a hit batter in the top of the first inning.

In the top of the third, the Braves plated another run thanks to a single, a walk, and two errors to push their lead to 4-0.

Wooten finished with a final line of six innings, four runs, three earned, six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. He got tagged with the loss to fall to 2-3.

Charleston couldn't get anything going offensively because Lucas Sims was dominant on the mound for the Braves. Sims gave up just five hits and didn't walk anybody in five shutout innings with seven strikeouts. He earned the win to finish his season 12-4.

The RiverDogs' third error of the game and a base hit led to another run for Rome in the top of the eighth to advance their lead to 5-0.

That's when the Dogs finally got the bats going. A single by Jake Cave and a double by Ty Afenir had runners at second and third with out. A wild pitch brought Cave home, then a base hit by Dante Bichette, Jr. scored Afenir to make it a 5-2 contest.

In the ninth inning, Charleston really made it interesting. Danny Oh led the inning off with a walk. Then back-to-back one out singles by Wes Wilson and Fu-Lin Kuo brought Oh across the plate. Jake Cave then got hit by a pitch to load the bases and move the tying to second base. A wild pitch scored Wilson to make it 5-4. Then with the game on the line, Dante Bichette, Jr. flew out to left field to end the game.

John Brebbia tossed the final three innings for Charleston and allowed one unearned run on four hits to finish up his year.

BALLPARK FUN: It was Irish Heritage Night at the ballpark with the Irish National Anthem playing before first pitch, Irish music and dancing before and during the game, and PA announcer Ken Carrington even donned a kilt for the occasion!

COMING UP: The final game of the season is Monday night at 6:05 at Riley Park! Charleston will start RHP Rookie Davis (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Rome will counter with RHP Wes Parsons (7-7, 2.78 ERA). We will end the night with a fantastic season finale fireworks show! Come out for the last supper featuring $1 hot dogs and $1 draft beers of always smooth Keystone Light. Fans can purchase tickets at www.riverdogs.com, over the phone at 843/723-7241, or in-person at the Riley Park Box Office. Fans may also listen to the game live locally on ESPN Radio 910AM or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/17xIhC8

Being posted with permission from the Charleston Riverdogs organization. The original article can be seen HERE. 

Rome Braves Sprint Past Charleston Riverdogs

Braves Sprint Past Charleston

RiverDogs’ five game win streak comes to an end

ROME, GA – Atlanta Braves lefty Paul Maholm made a rehab start Saturday night for Rome, and the Braves stole seven bases to run past the Charleston RiverDogs 6-2 at State Mutual Stadium in Rome, GA and even the series at one game apiece. The loss snapped Charleston’s five game win streak.

With the loss, the RiverDogs fall to 28-27 in the second half and 67-56 overall. Rome advances to 27-28 in the second half and 63-61 overall with the victory.

In his first game since July 20, Maholm threw 5.2 innings, allowed four hits, one run, walked nobody, and fanned six. He earned the win to go to 1-0. It was his first appearance in the Minor Leagues since 2005 with Triple-A Indianapolis.

Rome struck first scoring a run on a Kyle Wren double, a stolen base, and an RBI ground out by Jose Peraza in the bottom of the first.

Charleston tied it in the top of the second thanks to a ball misplayed by Rome right fielder Felix Marte that landed for a double by Ericson Leonora, and a two out RBI single by Jackson Valera. Leonora finished 2-4 with two doubles and scored both runs for the RiverDogs.

In the bottom of the second inning, Rome got runners at second and third base with nobody out, but ending up stranding the bases loaded without scoring a run to keep the game tied at 1-1.

Jose Peraza led off the bottom of the third for the Braves with a single then stole second and third and scored on a line drive single by Edison Sanchez to make it 2-1 Rome.

After wasting a leadoff triple in the fourth inning, Rome got back at it in the fifth scoring twice to push their lead to 4-1.

Charleston’s bats went quiet and did not collect a hit from the fifth through eighth innings. Trailing 6-1 entering the ninth, back-to-back doubles by Ericson Leonora and Reymond Nunez plated a run to make it 6-2 Braves. That was as close as the RiverDogs would get with Nunez left stranded at third when the game ended.

Nunez continued his hot hitting with a 2-4 performance, a double, and RBI.

Eric Wooten started for Charleston and the lefty gave up four runs on eight hits, walked one, hit two batters, and struckout four in five innings of work. He got the loss to fall to 1-2. Adam Smith gave up a run on a hit in one inning of relief, and then Tyler Webb allowed one run to score on three hits and a walk in his two frames thrown.

Zach Jadofsky took over for Maholm and tossed 1.1 scoreless, hitless innings of relief with a couple strikeouts. Jeremy Fitzgerald got the final six outs for Rome fanning three, gave up two hits and one run.

Game three of this four game series is Sunday night at State Mutual Stadium in Rome. Charleston will send out RHP Derek Varnadore (1-5, 3.30 ERA) for a spot start, and the Braves will counter with RHP Frank Lafreniere (5-12, 5.70 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday. Fans can listen to the game live locally on ESPN Radio 910AM or online at www.riverdogs.com.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/1bI76xS

--RIVERDOGS--

Being posted with permission from the Charleston Riverdogs organization. The original article can be seen HERE.