Bies, Higgins Combine for Two-Hit Shutout to Finish Sweep of Kannapolis

Charleston blanks an opponent for second time during season-long four-game win streak

By: Riverdogs Media

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Charleston righty Daniel Bies dominated with a career-high nine strikeouts, facing one over the minimum in seven scoreless frames as the RiverDogs cruised to a 4-0 win to finish off a sweep of Kannapolis on Thursday night at Intimidators Stadium.

Bies (2-1) combined with reliever Dalton Higgins for a two-hit shutout of Kannapolis (10-15), extending the RiverDogs’ (14-13) season-best winning streak to four straight games. After being handed a three-game sweep at the hands of the White Sox affiliate just a week prior at The Joe, the Dogs returned the favor with their first series sweep of the season.

The Intimidators’ lone baserunner off Bies came in the third, when South Carolina product Alex Destino whacked the first pitch of the inning into the right-center gap for a double. That would be all for the Kannapolis lineup until the ninth, when leadoff man Ian Dawkins roped a clean single into left off Higgins to extend the game. Neither pitching staff issued a walk in Charleston’s briskest nine-inning game of the season, lasting only 2 hours and 23 minutes despite the RiverDogs pounding out 13 hits, including at least one apiece from each batter in the lineup.

The RiverDogs provided some run support for the Gonzaga right-hander in the third. Right fielder Frederick Cuevas and shortstop Eduardo Torrealba each produced opposite field singles before Brandon Lockridge moved him over and second baseman Wilkerman Garcia brought one in with a sacrifice fly to center.

In the following frame, third baseman Nelson Gomez yanked Charleston’s third consecutive hit to open the inning, scoring Canaan Smith, who nearly had an RBI of his own when catcher Josh Breaux was cut down at the plate trying to score on his double. Smith enjoyed a two-hit night, including cashing in for an RBI in the eighth and extending his hitting streak to seven straight games.

Returning from a brief injured list stint for the first time, centerfielder Josh Stowers looked spry, scoring two runs and collecting a pair of knocks, including a leadoff double in the sixth. Breaux drove him home in what would be the former second-round pick’s 12th RBI in his past six games, a stretch where the Tomball, Texas native is hitting .423 (11-for-26).

Upcoming

The RiverDogs head to Greenville for the second stop of their weeklong roady, taking on the Drive, the Red Sox’s Class A affiliate, in a four-game, wraparound set at Fluor Field starting Friday at 7:05 p.m.

In the opener, Charleston sends fire-balling righty Luis Gil (1-1, 1.04) to the bump. The Yankees’ No. 13 pre-season prospect faces the Drive lineup for the first time and is coming off back-to-back scoreless starts of five innings apiece. Right-hander Thaddeus Ward (1-1, 3.20) makes his second start of the year against Charleston after yielding three runs in 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision at The Joe on April 16; the RiverDogs took the series two games to one. Fans can catch the game on WTMA 1250 AM in the tri-county area as well as online streaming on the TuneIn Radio app starting at 7.

Fans can “Make Fun” with the RiverDogs all season long down at The Joe. Single-game tickets, including options to the Riley Park Club, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule and list of game times for the 2019 season is available at riverdogs.com.

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