By: Riverdogs Media
Myrtle Beach, SC— The Charleston RiverDogs fell behind early and couldn’t dig out of the hole as their seven-game winning streak came to an end in a 6-1 loss at Myrtle Beach’s TicketReturn.com Field on Sunday evening. The contest was halted by rain in the middle of the seventh and called off after a 27-minute delay. The RiverDogs took five of the six games in the series.
Myrtle Beach (18-23) failed to score despite having runners on the corners with one out in the first inning, but Jose Lopez and the RiverDogs were not as fortunate in the second. The Pelicans loaded the bases with no outs and took the lead when Luis Verdugo bounced into a 6-4-3 double play. Lopez limited the damage to just the one run by retiring the next hitter.
Reliever Graeme Stinson took over in the third inning and was greeted immediately by a double from Ezequiel Pagan. Pagan advanced to third on a line drive to right field by Ed Howard and was joined on base by Jacob Wetzel, who walked. Catcher Jonathan Embry attempted to pick Pagan off of third base, but his throw sailed into left field, allowing the runner to score. After Ryan Reynolds was hit by a pitch, Pablo Aliendo blew the game open with a three-run home run to left that made it 5-0. Jordan Nwogu added a solo home run two batters later to stretch the margin to 6-0.
The RiverDogs (26-14) could not manufacture a run against Pelicans starter Manuel Espinoza despite having men on base in nearly every inning. The right-hander went 5.2 scoreless innings and struck out seven, while scattering four hits. Before the delay, the RiverDogs were able to plate their only run. With two outs in the seventh, Johan Lopez singled and Embry walked to turn the lineup over for Osleivis Basabe. The leadoff hitter cashed in with an RBI single to left off of Joe Nahas. Basabe went 2-4, extending his hit streak to six games in the process.
Garrett Hiott joined Basabe with multiple hits for the RiverDogs, going 2-3 at the plate. Curtis Mead’s 13-game hitting streak came to an end as the first baseman went 0-4 with four groundball outs.
Lopez was handed the loss, departing after 2.0 innings, having allowed one run. Stinson surrendered five runs on three hits and a walk in the third inning. Ben Brecht tossed 2.0 scoreless innings and Neraldo Catalina was the final reliever out of the bullpen, working a scoreless sixth frame.
The RiverDogs return to Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park to begin a series against the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday night. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for game one of the series. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. on an Island Coastal Lager Dog Day featuring $2 hot dogs and beer! Also, make sure to bring your four-legged friend to the game every Tuesday night this season.
All RiverDogs games are broadcast worldwide on riverdogs.com. A television broadcast of all 60 home games during the 2021 season will also be available via MiLB.TV. Games are also available on the MiLB First Pitch app.
RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are now available for the 2021 campaign at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule for the 2021 season is available at riverdogs.com.
