Sports
RiverDogs Score Five Unanswered, Fall Short of Comeback in Augusta
Canaan Smith touches off for first Class A home run in defeat
By: Riverdogs Media
At one point down 7-0 to the GreenJackets, the RiverDogs felt the momentum swinging their way as pulled the game within two runs but couldn’t complete the comeback as they fell 7-5 in their road trip opener on Thursday evening at SRP Park.
Left fielder Canaan Smith had himself a day in the loss, tagging a 1-0 offering out the opposite way for the lefty slugger’s first Class A home run to bring the RiverDogs (7-8) within a pair in the seventh inning. The Rockwall, Texas product also cut the GreenJackets (7-6) onslaught in the second short when he doubled off centerfielder Jose Layer at third base before a run scored to keep the deficit at 7-0 after three with a heads up defensive play.
Augusta provided plenty of traffic for Charleston’s staff, loading up the bases at least once in each of the first three innings, including with nobody out in the second and third. Tanner Myatt started on the hill for Charleston and proceeded to walk the bases full before getting out of the jam unscathed. He would not return for a second inning of work, however, as he was relieved by Daniel Bies (0-1, 8.49), who gave up the seven runs over the next two innings, in part because of five walks issued, a career-high for the normally reliable bullpen arm.
The RiverDogs cut into the deficit in the fourth, stopping a stretch of ten in a row retired by Giants No. 7 prospect Jake Wong (1-1, 4.22) when right fielder Josh Stowers doubled. Catcher Josh Breaux followed up the gapper by driving the next pitch into the right-center gap for an RBI single that made it 7-1.
In the seventh, third baseman Nelson Gomez worked a leadoff walk before second baseman Max Burt was hit by a pitch from reliever Tyler Schimpf to spark a rally. First baseman Eric Wagaman followed with a ground ball single up the box to score the Dogs’ second run before Smith tattooed the second offering to him for a three-run blast, his first of the season and ninth of his professional career since becoming a fourth-round draft choice of the Yankees out of high school in 2017.
The RiverDogs managed to get two on behind closer Jesus Tona in the ninth, but the Venezuelan righty struck out Brandon Lockridge and coaxed a fly ball out of Stowers to end the ballgame. It was the reliever’s third save in as many opportunities with the Jackets.
With the loss, the RiverDogs haven’t managed back-to-back wins since taking the first two games of the season in Columbia. They have dropped 7 of their last 11 overall.
Upcoming
The RiverDogs continue their three-game swing in Augusta with game two on Friday night. In a pitching matchup of notable prospect pedigree, Yankees No. 13 prospect RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 2.45) will make his third start of the season opposed by southpaw Seth Corry (0-0, 0.00), the No. 25 prospect in the San Francisco organization. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. from SRP Park. Catch the game on “The Big Talker” WTMA 1250 AM as well as online streaming on the TuneIn Radio app.
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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