RiverDogs Blast Four Home Runs in Shutout Win over Hillcats

By: RiverDogs Media

The Charleston RiverDogs put together a dominant effort to close their penultimate homestand with a 10-0 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on Sunday evening. The RiverDogs blasted four home runs in the game, including three in the third inning. Meanwhile, four pitchers combined to blank an opponent for the ninth time this season. The game was played in front of an outstanding crowd of 6,192.

The explosive third inning provided more than enough runs for the pitching staff. Christian Johnson singled with one out and advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw by Lynchburg starter Alonzo Richardson. Carson Williams then drove a pitch over the right field wall for a two-run home run to open the scoring. It was his 15th long ball of the season. Following a Junior Caminero walk, Willy Vasquez lined his seventh home run of the season over the left field wall to make it 4-0. Ryan Spikes made it back-to-back home runs by lifting a solo shot to left in the next at-bat. It was the first time the RiverDogs hit three home runs in the same inning since 2019.

The RiverDogs (25-16, 71-36) lead grew significantly in the fourth inning as the first five batters all reached safely. Nathan Perry began the inning with a walk and moved to third on an opposite field double by Daiwer Castellanos. Oneill Manzueta added to the lead with an RBI single that increased the margin to 6-0. The next batter, Shane Sasaki, crushed a three-run home run off of the video board in right center to stretch the advantage to 9-0. The final run of the game scored on Sasaki’s RBI double in the eighth.

On the mound, Neraldo Catalina opened the game with 2.0 scoreless innings. Left-hander Antonio Jimenez followed by tossing 4.2 innings in which he struck out four to earn his ninth win of the campaign. Alex Ayala Jr. worked out of a pair of jams to post 1.1 innings with no damage and Jack Snyder struck out two in a perfect ninth to polish off the shutout.

Sasaki, Williams and Manzueta each posted two hits. Sasaki led the way with four RBI and finished the series 11-23 with five doubles, a triple, a home run and five runs batted in. Lynchburg (18-24, 53-55) received two hits from Cesar Idrogo, finishing with five as a team.

Ballpark Fun

Before the game, the RiverDogs recognized the newest inductees to the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame in a ceremony on the field. The class of 2022 consisted of players Brett Spivey and Rodney Hancock and coach Timmy Linker. Spivey was a standout at James Island High School and later, the College of Charleston. Hancock starred at Stratford High School before playing at The Citadel. Linker was a volunteer coach at St. Andrews Parks and Playground for over 40 years, as well as working with both St. Andrews High School and the current West Ashley High School.

Following an off day on Tuesday, the RiverDogs will embark on a 13-game road trip with the first stop in Augusta on Tuesday night. They will battle the GreenJackets seven times in six days with the first game set for 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday night.

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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