North Augusta, SC – Trailing by four runs in the eighth inning, the RiverDogs rallied to tie the game, but lost in walk-off fashion to the Augusta GreenJackets, 5-4 on Wednesday night at SRP Park. The loss is Charleston’s fourth in a row and drops the team’s record to 19-22.
The game opened as a pitcher’s duel, with RiverDogs starter Trevor Harrison and GreenJackets hurler Luke Sinnard going toe-to-toe through five innings.
Harrison worked around trouble in the first and third innings, stranding runners in scoring position in both frames, but eventually retired Augusta in order in the fourth and fifth.
Meanwhile, the RiverDogs didn’t manage a base runner against Sinnard until the fifth, when Angel Mateo singled, but was then caught stealing at second base. Nathan Flewelling later doubled but was left stranded on second.
Harrison returned for the sixth inning and surrendered a leadoff double to Owen Carey and then a single to Eric Hartman. After recording the first out of the inning on a popout, Harrison was removed.
Augusta proceeded to rally, breaking the scoreless tie with a four-run rally. Colby Jones’ RBI single opened the scoring, before Mason Guerra dumped a two-RBI single into right. Luis Sanchez made it 4-0 with an RBI double.
The RiverDogs busted up the shutout in the top of the eighth. With one out, Narciso Polanco and Theo Gillen singled back-to-back, and Brailier Guerrero walked to load the bases.
Ricardo Gonzalez got Charleston on the board with a bases-loaded walk, and Connor Hujsak followed with a sacrifice fly to the left field warning track to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Charleston’s comeback continued in the ninth. With one out, Flewelling singled, and Jose Perez and Polanco walked to load the bases for Gillen.
Augusta hurler Trent Buchanan bounced back to strike out Gillen to bring the RiverDogs down to their final out. However, Brailer Guerrero didn’t want to see the game end. The Rays’ No. 10 prospect pounced on the first pitch of the at-bat for an opposite-field, two-RBI single to tie the game at four.
In the bottom of the inning, the GreenJackets got the last laugh. Josnaider Orellna walked with one out, John Gil followed with a single and Carey ended the game with a walk-off single to right field to extinguish the RiverDogs.
The series continues Thursday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05pm. Ryan Andrade, who ranks third in the Carolina League in ERA, is the scheduled starter for Charleston.
The RiverDogs return to Riley Park Tuesday, May 27 to open a six-game homestand with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Tickets are available online at RiverDogs.com.