Zebulon, NC – Behind yet another strong starting pitching performance and timely run production, the RiverDogs defeated Carolina 5-2 on Saturday night at Five County Stadium.
With the win, Charleston returns to .500 (28-28) and clinches a series win over the Mudcats, who hold the best record in the Carolina League.
The night started on a sour note, after first pitch was delayed an hour and 22 minutes due to rain. In the bottom of the first, Jose Urbina coughed up a leadoff homer to Braylon Payne.
The homer was the only run Urbina would allow the rest of the night. Following the homer, Urbina proceeded to retire the next eight batters. Urbina allowed just one other hit – a Payne single – on his way to striking out a career-high nine batters in five innings.
The RiverDogs scattered five one-run innings throughout the line score to take command of the game.
Charleston tied the game thanks to a throwing error on a pickoff attempt that allowed Narciso Polanco to score in the second inning. In the third, Polanco put the ‘Dogs ahead with an RBI double off the top of the right field wall.
The RiverDogs scored on RBI groundouts in the fourth and fifth to swell the lead to 4-1.
Ricardo Gonzalez provided the last bit of insurance in the seventh, driving in Woo Shin on a groundout to make it 5-1.
Carolina threatened a comeback in the eighth inning, scoring on Luis Pena’s sacrifice fly. Following the sacrifice, a walk by Ryan Schiefer put runners on the corners to bring the tying run to the plate. The RiverDogs tabbed Cade Citelli to escape the jam and he did so on just one pitch; inducing an inning-ending double play to keep Charleston in command.
Citelli returned for the ninth and worked around an error to collect his second save of the season.
The RiverDogs will play for a fifth consecutive win tomorrow at 1 p.m. to wrap the series. With 10 games remaining in the first half, Charleston is in fifth place in the Carolina League South but sits just two games out of first place.
The ‘Dogs return home on Tuesday to take on Augusta – which is tied for first – for a six game series. Tickets are available at RiverDogs.com.