By: RiverDogs Media
Jonny Cuevas worked 5.0 quality innings as the Charleston RiverDogs beat the Down East Wood Ducks by a 5-2 score on Friday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The victory was the third straight in the series for the RiverDogs as they moved to 14 games over .500 in the second half. Cuevas has allowed just one earned run over his last 15.0 innings on the mound. 4,923 fans took in the contest.
The RiverDogs (30-16, 57-55) didn't waste any time in handing Cuevas an early advantage to work with. Tre' Morgan singled to right field with one out in the bottom of the first and Cooper Kinney immediately followed with a two-run home run to hand the home team a 2-0 head start. The long ball was Kinney's ninth of the season and extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
Down East (23-23, 60-47) got one back against the RiverDogs starter in the third. Devin Hurdle doubled with one out and advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw by Cuevas. That miscue allowed him to score the first Wood Ducks run on a sacrifice fly by Konner Piotto.
Charleston extended the lead with one more big inning. The fifth frame began with a line drive double to right by Jhon Diaz, who scored on another double by Morgan to make it 3-1. Consecutive two-out singles courtesy of Ryan Cermak and Colton Ledbetter widened the gap to 5-1.
The final run of the night scored against reliever Jake Christianson in the top half of the sixth. Quincy Scott's single was followed by a walk to JoJo Blackmon. That allowed Zion Bannister's single to right field to close the gap to 5-2.
Christianson held firm for the rest of his outing, allowing one run on four hits over 3.0 innings. Matt Wyatt earned his fifth save with a scoreless ninth. Cuevas surrendered just two hits and an unearned run while striking out five.
Morgan was a perfect 3-3 at the plate with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Kinney added two hits to the team's total of 10. Seven different players registered one hit each for Down East.
Ballpark Fun
Each night throughout the season, the RiverDogs and Boeing partner to recognize a Military Hero of the Game. On Friday night, that recognition went to Captain Howlett Cohick of the Unites States Air Force. Captain Cohick is currently a C-17 instructor pilot at Join Base Charleston. In his six years of service, he has flown over 1,500 hours, had deployed to the Middle East and was one of the pilots who flew the final aircraft out of Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021.
The series resumes with game five on Saturday night. RHP Trevor Martin (8-5, 3.57) will take his turn in the RiverDogs rotation while Down East hands the baseball to RHP Brock Porter (0-2, 2.47). On a night titled “Charlie's Lottery”, the first 500 fans through the gates will receive a customized chocolate bar. Some of those bars will contain a golden ticket, with those lucky fans receiving a special evening at The Joe. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m.
2023 playoff tickets are on sale now, along with season tickets, Dog-E Coin plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park via riverdogs.com/tickets.
Charleston 5, Down East 2
Click here for the box score
Win: Cuevas (6-7)
Loss: Montalvo (7-2)
HR: Down East: Cooper Kinney (9, 1st innning, 1 on base)
