North Augusta, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs dropped game one of a nine-game road trip 3-1 to the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday night at SRP Park. The RiverDogs were limited to just two hits in dropping a third straight contest. The team is now a season-high 13 games under .500.
Augusta (2-2, 29-40) opened the scoring with a single run in the bottom of the third. Engert Garcia opened the inning with a four-pitch walk off Leiker Figueroa. Isaiah Drake and Luis Sanchez followed with consecutive groundball singles and suddenly the bases were loaded with no outs. Will Verdung had the first opportunity to do damage but bounced into a 5-3 double play as the first run of the game crossed the plate. Garcia escaped further damage by inducing a groundball to short.
For the second game in a row, the RiverDogs (1-3, 28-41) allowed a hitter to connect on his first home run of the season. This time, it was GreenJackets catcher Jacob Godman who doubled the lead with a solo blast to left center off reliever Luis Hernandez in the bottom of the sixth.
Jhon Diaz did some yard work of his own to get the RiverDogs on the board in the seventh. The center fielder lined the first pitch of the inning over the right field wall at 110 mph to cut the deficit in half with the score 2-1.
Augusta added some insurance in the seventh against Will Stevens. Sanchez singled with one out and raced all the way to third on a double to the left field corner by Verdung. Sanchez raced home on a wild pitch moments later to tally the final run of the night.
Diaz was responsible for both RiverDogs hits on the evening, also lining a single in the third. Sanchez went 3-4 as the only Augusta hitter with multiple knocks in the contest.
Garcia was dealt the loss after surrendering one run on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. He struck out five in his third start of the season. Hernandez allowed one run in 1.1 innings as the first man out of the bullpen. Seth Chavez was the lone pitcher to escape unscathed, working a perfect top of the ninth.
The RiverDogs will aim to even the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. with LHP Drew Dowd (0-4, 3.93) on the mound. Augusta will toss RHP Jeremy Reyes (1-0, 2.00)
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Augusta 3, Charleston 1
June 25, 2024
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 1-2-0
Augusta (R-H-E): 3-8-0
Win: McDonough (2-2)
Loss: Garcia (1-4)
Save: Philip (1)
HR: Charleston: Jhon Diaz (2, 7th inning, 1 on base)
HR: Augusta: Jacob Godman (1, 6th inning, 0 on base)
