By: RiverDogs Media
North Augusta, SC – Four Charleston RiverDogs pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts in a 3-0 shutout win over the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park on Tuesday night. The contest represented the eighth time this season that the RiverDogs held the opposition off the scoreboard. With the victory, the RiverDogs magic number to secure a playoff berth dropped to 11.
The RiverDogs (32-17, 59-56) enjoyed a quick start to the contest, scoring a single run in each of the first two innings. Cooper Kinney cranked a double off the right field wall in the second at-bat of the game to get into scoring position. Brayden Taylor followed immediately with an RBI single into center to give Charleston a 1-0 advantage.
In the second, Carlos Colmenarez worked the count to 3-0 against Augusta starting pitcher Luis Vargas. He had the green light in an advantage count and did not miss, hammering a fastball over the right field wall for his sixth home run of the season.
The early lead was more than enough for a dominant pitching staff. Ian Seymour began the night with 4.0 scoreless innings on the mound, striking out seven and allowing just one hit. Jack Hartman collected the win with 2.0 scoreless innings as the first man out of the pen. Jackson Lancaster stranded the bases loaded in the seventh, the only frame in which Augusta (21-28, 52-62) put together a major threat. Junior William struck out four in the final 2.0 innings to earn his third save of the season.
Charleston added one more insurance run in the top of the ninth. Ryan Spikes singled with one out, went to second on a balk by Nolan Martinez and moved to third on a wild pitch. Colmenarez delivered again, this time with a line drive RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0.
Colmenarez and Taylor each provided two of the RiverDogs 10 hits in the game. Kinney's double early in the game moved his hitting streak to 16 games. The only player with multiple hits for Augusta was right fielder Jace Grady.
Game two of the series is set for Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Santiago Suarez (1-0, 0.00) will make his second appearance with the RiverDogs. He will be opposed by Augusta RHP Jhancarlos Lara (3-7, 4.36).
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 3, Augusta 0 August 22, 2023
Click here for the box score
Win: Hartman (3-4)
Loss: Vargas (1-3)
HR: Charleston: Carlos Colmenarez (6, 2nd inning, 0 on base)
