By: RiverDogs Media
North Augusta, SC – The Charleston RiverDogs committed four errors for a second straight game, allowing the Augusta GreenJackets to hang on for a 5-4 win on Thursday night at SRP Park. Cooper Kinney went 0-4 at the plate as his hitting streak ended at 17 games.
The RiverDogs (32-19, 59-58) struck first, scoring in the top of the third. In his first at-bat since suffering a facial fracture in July, Odalys Peguero opened the inning with a sharp double to the left field corner. He was still at second base with two outs when Tre' Morgan lined an RBI single to center field that put Charleston ahead 1-0. The run was the team's first since Tuesday night.
The RiverDogs committed three errors in the fourth inning as five runs came across for Augusta (23-28, 54-62). Jace Grady opened the inning with a double that caromed off the right field wall. Brayden Taylor committed an error on Will Verdung's groundball to third, leaving men on the corners with no outs. Jonny Cuevas struck out E.J. Exposito for the first out of the inning. He induced a groundball to second that appeared as if it might begin an inning-ending double play until shortstop Ryan Spikes was ruled to have dropped the throw. The error allowed everyone to advance a base as the score evened 1-1. With the bases loaded, Tyler Collins blooped a two-run single to left to hand the GreenJackets the lead. Later in the same frame, Ambioris Tavarez added a two-RBI infield single to extend the advantage to 5-1. Four of the runs were unearned.
The RiverDogs pulled considerably closer in the seventh. Spikes began the frame by pounding a triple off the wall in deep center field. Jhon Diaz drove him in immediately with an RBI single and the Dogs had closed within three. Peguero smacked a triple into the right field corner and Charleston had trimmed the lead to 5-3 with no outs. Raudelis Martinez made it a one-run game with a run-scoring groundout moments later.
In the ninth, the RiverDogs put two on with one out, but could not do any damage as Elison Joseph earned a two-inning save. The visitors finished with 10 hits, three of them from Ryan Cermak. Peguero went 2-4 with a double and a triple in his return to the lineup. Augusta finished with just four hits.
Cuevas took the tough-luck loss after allowing just one earned run in 3.2 innings. He surrendered just two hits, but was stung by four unearned runs. Jake Christianson and Matt Wyatt continued the quality work out of the bullpen, combining for 4.1 scoreless innings.
The weekend begins with a 7:05 p.m. contest on Friday night. RHP Gary Gill Hill will make his debut with the RiverDogs on the mound. For Augusta, it will be LHP Adam Shoemaker (0-7, 6.41) on the hill.
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.
Augusta 5, Charleston 4 August 24, 2023
Click here for the box score
Win: Frey (1-1)
Loss: Cuevas (6-8)
HR: Charleston: None
