By: RiverDogs Media
Kinston, NC – Jelfry Marte's game-saving sliding stop at second base allowed the Charleston RiverDogs to sneak out a 4-3 win over the Down East Wood Ducks at Grainger Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Marte stabbed Alejandro Osuna's hard groundball to the right side with the tying run at third base and two outs in the home half of the ninth. The teams' split the series 3-3 and the RiverDogs have still not been defeated in series play this season.
The RiverDogs (34-17) scored first for the fifth time in the six-game series. Mason Auer lined a double just inside the first base bag on the first pitch of the game and Carson Williams followed with his sixth home run of the season, a two-run blast to left that opened the scoring. The extra-base hit was the shortstop's 23rd of the season.
In the bottom of the first, Down East (24-27) cut their early deficit in half. Neraldo Catalina walked the first two batters of the frame. Efrenyer Narvaez was the first Wood Ducks player to make contact, lining a ball right back to the mound. Catalina stabbed it and then threw to first attempting to double off the runner. That throw sailed into the first row of seats, allowing one run to score, and moving another to third. The right-hander rebounded to strike out the final two hitters of the frame, keeping the score 2-1.
The teams traded single runs in the third inning with the RiverDogs grabbing a 3-2 advantage on Nick Schnell's RBI double. The Wood Ducks again trimmed the lead to one as Narvaez lined a solo home run to left field against Antonio Jimenez.
Charleston took a 4-2 lead with some help from the Down East defense in the fourth. Logan Allen was hit by a pitch to start the frame and then stole second. The throw from Narvaez trickled into center field and then rolled under the glove of Daniel Mateo, allowing Allen to score.
The Wood Ducks made things interesting late against Jack Snyder. With two outs and a runner at first base, Yenci Pena and Junior Paniagua singled, making it 4-3 and placing the tying run 90 feet away. On a 2-2 pitch, Osuna hit a sharp groundball to the right side that Marte fielded for the final out.
The RiverDogs finished the contest with nine hits as eight of nine batters in the lineup registered at least one. Auer went 2-4 with a double to stretch his hitting streak to eight games. The Wood Ducks received two hits each from Pena and Paniagua.
Catalina opened the game by working 1.0 inning and allowed only an unearned run. Jimenez followed by tossing the next 4.0 innings, surrendering one run on four hits with seven strikeouts. Victor Munoz was impressive as the next pitcher, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. Snyder earned his third save of the season after allowing one run on three hits in the ninth.
The RiverDogs will take Monday off and then return to The Joe for a six-game home series against the Salem Red Sox beginning Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Christian Fernandez (4-1, 2.30) will start the first game of the series for the RiverDogs. The Red Sox will turn to RHP Tyler Uberstine (3-1, 3.92). It’s set to be another Dog Day Tuesday presented by Twisted Tea with $2 hot dogs an beer at the ballpark. Also, feel free to bring your four-legged friend with you to the game!
Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com.
