The Charleston RiverDogs briefly took the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, only for the Lynchburg Hillcats to score seven in the top of the eighth to regain control in an 8-5 win on Wednesday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The Hillcats have totaled 24 runs on 27 hits in the first 18 innings of the series.
Lynchburg (37-28) took the lead in the top of the third. Ralphy Velazquez singled with one out off starting pitcher Engert Garcia. Jaison Chourio followed with a double that bounced over the head of Odalys Peguero in right field, allowing the first run of the night to score. Chourio was thrown out on a perfect relay throw to third base.
The RiverDogs (26-38) entered the bottom of the seventh hitless at the plate. Hillcats starter Rorik Maltrud allowed only three walks over 6.0 scoreless innings. When Jack Jasiak entered out of the bullpen, the RiverDogs came to life. Angel Mateo led off with a double and moved to third on a bunt single from Enderson Delgado. Woo Shin grounded into a 4-6-3 double play as the tying run crossed home plate. Ricardo Gonzalez lined a base to reignite the inning with two outs. Bryan Brocker followed with a hard single to center field that rolled past Chourio for an error, allowing both runners to score and the RiverDogs to grab a 3-1 advantage.
That momentum was short-lived as the Hillcats batted around for the third time in the series in the top of the eighth. The first seven batters of the inning reached base safely against Dalton Fowler on the strength of three hits, two walks and two errors. When the dust settled, Lynchburg had moved back in front by an 8-3 margin.
The RiverDogs scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth via RBI singles from Shin and Adrian Santana. The Dogs went down in order in the ninth against Deredt Parra.
Fowler took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, on one hit and two walks without recording an out. Garcia struck out seven over 4.0 innings to begin the game, allowing only one run. Gerlin Rosario escaped an inherited bases loaded jam in the fifth to toss 3.0 scoreless innings and lower his ERA to 1.76.
Jose Pastrano led all players with three hits for Lynchburg. Chourio added two hits and two RBI, increasing his total of runs batted in to six over the first two games of the series. The RiverDogs received two hits from Mateo, including his third double of the week.
Ballpark Fun
The first 1,000 fans to enter the stadium received a bobblehead of 2022 RiverDogs Top Dog Award winner Carson Williams. His bobblehead was the second of a three-part bobblehead series celebrating the team’s three-consecutive Carolina League championships. Williams was named the MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove winner at shortstop following his 2022 campaign in Charleston.
Game three of the series will take place on Thursday night. $1 beers will be available throughout the stadium on a Budweiser™ Thirsty Thursday. The night will also feature trivia thanks to Share House. On the mound for the RiverDogs is scheduled to be LHP Drew Dowd (0-4, 4.26). On the opposite side, it will be RHP Yorman Gomez (5-2, 3.61) tossing for Lynchburg.
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Lynchburg 8, Charleston 5
June 19, 2024
Click here for the box score
Lynchburg (R-H-E): 8-11-2
Charleston (R-H-E): 5-8-2
Win: Jasiak (5-2)
Loss: Fowler (2-3)
Save: Parra (2)
HR: Lynchburg: None
HR: Charleston: None
