The Charleston RiverDogs received a slight assist from Mother Nature, blanking the Lynchburg Hillcats 3-0 in a rain-shortened contest on Friday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The victory marked the pitching staff’s sixth shutout win of the season. The first game of the second half featured a crowd of 4,522.
The RiverDogs (1-0, 28-38) opened the new half with a bang offensively. Woo Shin worked a one out walk against Jackson Humphries to get on base for Raudelis Martinez. The RiverDogs catcher blasted a Humphries offering over the wall in right field for his third home run of the season, handing the home team a 2-0 advantage.
Gary Gill Hill was dominant on the mound for a second straight start. The 19-year-old right-hander blanked the Hillcats (0-1, 37-30) over 6.0 innings. He allowed just five hits, all of them singles, and struck out six. Over his last two starts, Gill Hill has combined to allow one run on seven hits over 13.0 innings, striking out 15 in that span. His earned run average has dropped to 2.11 for the season.
Will Stevens walked the first two batters he faced in the top of the seventh but rebounded to strike out the final two hitters in the frame to complete a scoreless inning. The offense added an insurance run in the bottom of the same inning. Bryan Broecker worked a leadoff walk and stole second base. Odalys Peguero pounced on the opportunity, rolling a base hit up the middle to score Broecker and make it 3-0.
Seth Chavez recorded two outs in the eighth before hitting Wuilfredo Antunez with a pitch. As the next batter stepped in, heavy rains began to fall and the tarp was put on the field. The game was ruled final and the RiverDogs secured the win.
Peguero led the RiverDogs with two hits. Esteban Gonzalez finished with three of Lynchburg’s five hits.
Ballpark Fun
Prior to the game, the RiverDogs dedicated the media room inside the press box to longtime Post and Courier sportswriter Gene Sapakoff. In his 38-year career at the paper, Sapakoff was named South Carolina Sportswriter of the Year a record eight times. He initially covered the Charleston Rainbows from 1986 to 1993 and continued his coverage of the team after the transition to the RiverDogs moniker. He was inducted into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame in 1988 and later coined Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park’s nickname, “The Joe”, in a column.
The series will continue Saturday night with a 6:05 p.m. first pitch. The game will signify the start of Larry Doby Weekend presented by MUSC Health. The RiverDogs will wear Newark Eagles jerseys and Lynchburg will dress as the Homestead Grays. LHP Chris Villaman (3-0, 0.90) will work on the mound first for the RiverDogs with RHP Alonzo Richardson (4-4, 3.65) is scheduled to counter for Lynchburg.
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Charleston 3, Lynchburg 0 (8 Innings)
June 21, 2024
Click here for the box score
Lynchburg (R-H-E): 0-5-1
Charleston (R-H-E): 3-4-1
Win: Gill Hill (2-0)
Loss: Humphries (0-4)
Save: Chavez (3)
HR: Lynchburg: None
HR: Charleston: Raudelis Martinez (3, 2nd inning, 1 on base)
