Sports
RiverDogs Remain Undefeated on Friday Nights by Upending GreenJackets
By: RiverDogs Media
The Charleston RiverDogs kept their perfect record in Friday games intact with an 8-2 takedown of the Augusta GreenJackets on Friday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. Despite being outhit in the contest, the RiverDogs jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The game was played in front of 5,410 fans, the second-largest crowd to see a game at The Joe this season.
A big swing of the bat from Abiezel Ramirez allowed the RiverDogs (25-12) to take a first inning lead they would never relinquish. With two outs, Mason Auer reaches on an error by first baseman Mahki Backstrom. Freddvil Chevez followed with a single to shallow center field, putting two on for Ramirez. The second baseman crushed a pitch from Luis Vargas over the right field wall for a three-run home run, his second of the season with the RiverDogs.
Three more runs came across and the RiverDogs chased Vargas in the second inning. Gionti Turner was hit by a pitch and stole second base quickly. Shane Sasaki and Carson Williams each followed with an RBI single in consecutive at-bats to grow the lead to 5-0. Vargas departed with the bases loaded in favor of lefty Kris Anglin. The first batter he faced, Oneill Manzueta beat out an infield single to the left side to increase the advantage by one more run.
Augusta (20-17) reached the scoreboard on an RBI double by Geraldo Quintero in the fourth inning. However, the RiverDogs answered in the bottom of the same frame on an eventful trip around the bases by Mason Auer. The right fielder walked, stole second base, stole third base and scored on an errant throw to third from the catcher.
The lead swelled to 8-1 in the sixth inning on a second run-producing infield single by Manzueta. The GreenJackets scored the final run of the night in the eighth inning on Connor Blair’s RBI single with two outs.
Manzueta led the way with three hits, while Sasaki added two of his own. Quintero led Augusta with three hits of his own.
Daiveyon Whittle started the game and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings. Sandy Gaston was the first man out of the bullpen, surrendering one run on a hit and two walks. Christian Fernandez was dominant in 4.0 relief innings, striking out eight batters while giving up one run. Aneudy Cortorreal worked a scoreless ninth inning to close the night.
Ballpark Fun
The large crowd was treated to a number of opera-themed games and contests on HALO Opera Night with the Holy City Arts and Lyric Opera. Opera singer Leah Edwards performed the National Anthem and fans took part in several competitions, including trying to sing higher and lower notes than members of the opera and determining whether certain words were the name of operas, streets or foods.
The RiverDogs and GreenJackets will meet again on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. RHP Neraldo Catalina (0-0, 4.97) will open the game for Charleston with RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (0-1, 4.40) opposing him for Augusta. The RiverDogs will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Charleston Pals winning a championship during the 1922 season by wearing throwback jerseys from that era. The jerseys will auctioned during the game.
Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).
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