By: Charleston RiverDogs Media
A night after a walk-off victory, the Charleston RiverDogs removed all drama with a five-run first inning, beating the Augusta GreenJackets, 9-1, Saturday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. Charleston's Ben Brecht earned his first win of the season, in front of 4,333 fans on Toilet Paper Night.
Prior to the toilet paper pouring down on The Joe, it was RiverDogs runs pouring in on the GreenJackets starter, and Charleston-area native, Malcolm Van Buren. The RiverDogs got on the board two batters in, on Curtis Mead's league-leading 17th double of the season. After a Van Buren wild pitch plated another run, Abiezel Ramirez clobbered a three-run homer to right field to cap off the five-run first inning outburst.
The RiverDogs (30-15) would further distance themselves an inning later, when Diego Infante drove in a run on an infield single to third base. Third baseman Cody Birdsong sailed the throw to first, allowing a second run to score on the play. The RiverDogs would tack on another tally in the inning on a Lisandro Santos wild pitch. Dating back to Friday's ninth inning, the RiverDogs scored 14 runs over a three-inning stretch.
Later, just for good measure, Augusta gifted Charleston its third run-scoring wild pitch, in the sixth inning.
The GreenJackets’ (20-25) only run came on Bryson Horne's third home run of the series in the second inning. Augusta did not score in the first inning for only the second time this series.
The Horne home run was the only blemish on Ben Brecht's (1-2) resume Saturday, as he allowed one run on two hits over five innings to earn his first win of the season. Van Buren (0-1), meanwhile, only lasted one inning in his 2021 debut, allowing five runs on two hits and three walks. Graeme Stinson, Trey Cumbie and Neraldo Catalina combined to allow only one hit in four scoreless innings of relief for the RiverDogs.
Offensively, Garrett Hiott fell a home run shy of a cycle. The Charleston outfielder hit his first triple of the season, as part of his three-hit performance. He entered the night with only four hits as a member of the RiverDogs.
Ballpark Fun
The series concludes Sunday evening, before a league-wide off-day on Monday. The RiverDogs will turn to RHP Cole Wilcox (1-0, 2.14), while Augusta counters with RHP Joey Estes (0-2, 2.52) in a rematch from Tuesday's pitching matchup. Sunday is an MUSC Health Family Sunday, when everyone parks for free and kids run the bases following the contest.
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.
