RiverDogs Can’t Get Over Hump, Walked Off on Wednesday

By: RiverDogs Media

Lynchburg, VA- A walk-off single from Jose Devers in the bottom of the ninth inning pushed the Lynchburg Hillcats to a 7-6 win over the Charleston RiverDogs on Wednesday night at Bank of the James Stadium. The RiverDogs are now 0-11 on Wednesday this season. The team has fallen 13 games under .500 for the first time since 2015.

The game entered the bottom half of the ninth tied 6-6. Matt Wyatt began the inning by walking Angel Genao. Maik Collado followed quickly with a base hit and another walk loaded the bases. Wyatt, who earlier recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning, struck out Carson Tucker for the first out. Devers stepped to the plate and ended the game with a hard groundball up the middle that rolled through the drawn in defense.

The RiverDogs (23-36) jumped ahead early in the contest for a second straight night, this time doing damage in the very first inning. With one out, Xavier Isaac hooked a double off the right field wall for the first hit of the game. Dominic Keegan followed with a double of his own, trading places with Isaac to take a 1-0 lead. Before the inning ended, Cooper Kinney’s roller up the middle was thrown away by Tucker at second base, allowing Keegan to score on the error.

Starter Jonny Cuevas held that lead until the bottom of the fourth. Genao and Collado opened the frame with back-to-back singles for the Hillcats (27-32). Tucker drove in the first run with a double that left runners on second and third with one out. Devers tied the game with an RBI groundout to short, before Cuevas ended the frame. Cuevas went 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He did not issue a walk or record a strikeout.

Charleston moved back in front with a clutch hit in the sixth. Keegan worked a leadoff walk and stole second base with one down. Parker Messick retired the next two hitters before being removed from the game in favor of Zach Jacobs. Ryan Spikes greeted Jacobs with an RBI double that gave the visitors a 3-2 advantage. An error by Lynchburg in the eighth allowed the RiverDogs to add a run to the lead.

Reliever Jake Christianson escaped trouble in the sixth and seventh innings but was not as fortunate in the eighth. In the sixth, Jhon Diaz threw out the tying run at the plate for the final out. Lynchburg loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh and the right-hander escaped with two strikeouts and foul pop up to third. The Hillcats loaded the bases with no outs for a second straight frame in the eighth, trailing 4-2. This time, Zach Fascia made sure they didn’t miss out on a big inning. The designated hitter cranked a three-run triple to the right field wall that put Lynchburg ahead 5-4. He scored on a sacrifice fly from Guy Lipscomb to make it 6-4.

With the top of the order at the plate, the RiverDogs made some noise in the ninth. Chandler Simpson earned a walk to start the comeback and raced to third on Isaac’s single up the middle. Keegan pulled the team to within a run on a sacrifice fly. Kinney walked to push the tying run to second base. With two strikes, Spikes lined a 2-2 pitch from Jacobs over the second baseman’s head to tie the game.  Luis Almonte entered and retired Odalys Peguero on a groundball to second to end the inning.

Christianson allowed a season-high nine hits and four runs over 2.1 innings. His scoreless innings streak ended at 14.2, the longest of the season for a RiverDogs pitcher. Wyatt surrendered the decisive run on two hits and two walks in 1.0 innings on the mound.

Lynchburg’s 17 hits were the most allowed by the RiverDogs since July of 2021. Tucker led all hitters by going 4-5 with two RBI. Devers closed the evening with three hits. Collado, Fascia, Guy Lipscomb and Jordan Brown each had two. The RiverDogs were paced by Spikes, who collected three hits for a second straight night. Isaac and Peguero added two each.

The RiverDogs will aim to turn the series around on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. RHP Yoniel Curet (3-1, 3.96) will get the start for Charleston. Lynchburg goes for a third straight win with RHP Yorman Gomez (1-3, 5.36) on the mound.

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).

Lynchburg 7, Charleston 6

June 14, 2023

Click here for the box score

Charleston (R-H-E): 6-10-0
Lynchburg (R-H-E): 7-17-3

Win: Almonte (1-0)
Loss: Wyatt (0-4)
Save: 

HR: Charleston: None
HR: Lynchburg: None

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