The Charleston RiverDogs bounced back from separate deficits of four and three runs, eventually stranding the tying run at third base in an 11-10 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers on Sunday at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. In front of 5,204 fans, the largest crowd of the series, the teams combined for 25 hits. The RiverDogs had not won a game in which they trailed by more than three runs until Sunday’s comeback.
The final game of the week got off to a roaring start with each team scoring four runs in the first. Kannapolis (13-16, 54-41) continued to torment RiverDogs pitcher Santiago Suarez, jumping out to a quick lead. The right-hander walked Rikuu Nishida to open the game and Arxy Hernandez moved two into scoring position with a one-out double. George Wolkow and Ryan Burrowes lined back-to-back RBI single to make it 2-0 Cannon Ballers. Before the inning ended, Juan Gonzalez added a two-run single through the left side that doubled the margin.
The RiverDogs (18-10, 45-48) bounced right back in the bottom part of the frame. Adrian Santana opened the attack with a single and was joined on base when Angel Mateo walked. Noah Myers extended the inning and put the RiverDogs on the board by beating out an RBI infield single to first base. Enderson Delgado capitalized with a three-run home run to left that tied the game 4-4.
The Cannon Ballers started the second inning with back-to-back singles from Mason Dineson and Nishida. Wilber Sanchez then put the visitors right back on top with an RBI groundout. The lead grew to 7-4 on the strength of a pair of wild pitches. Suarez exited after allowing seven runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings.
Charleston shipped away at the deficit with an RBI infield hit from Raudelis Martinez in the third and a triple from Narciso Polanco that turned into a little league home run on a throwing error in the fourth. The RiverDogs eventually climbed over the top in the fifth. Carlton Perkins walked the bases loaded in his Kannapolis debut before allowing Carlos Colmenarez to tie the game with an infield single. Ricardo Gonzalez moved the Dogs ahead 9-7 with a two-run single through the right side.
The Cannon Ballers used a solo home run from Albertsen Asigen to close within one in the eighth. The inning ended when Gonzalez was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. The RiverDogs added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double from Myers and a bases loaded hit by pitch with Colmenarez in the batter’s box.
Those extra runs proved valuable in the ninth. Alexander Alberto started the inning by allowing a walk, infield hit, RBI single and RBI groundout to the first four hitters of the frame. A bouncer to short by Asigen moved the tying run to second with two outs. That tying run, in the form of Burrowes, moved to third with a stolen base moments later. Alberto stranded the runner at third by inducing a chopper to third by Gonzalez that ended the game.
The winning pitcher was T.J. Nichols who tossed 3.0 scoreless innings as the second man out of the bullpen. Alberto earned his second save of the season despite allowing the first two runs of his RiverDogs tenure. Jonalbert Rumbol worked 1.1 scoreless innings as the first reliever to enter. Finally, Samuel Mejia was charged with one run on one hit in 1.2 innings.
Myers was not retired in five trips to the plate, finishing 3-3 with two RBI, two walks and two runs scored. Santana and Colmenarez each added two hits. Every player in the lineup was responsible for at least one of the team’s 13 hits. Kannapolis collected 12 hits in defeat, three of them from Hernandez. Nishida, Wolkow and Burrowes each were responsible for a pair.
Ballpark Fun
As always, MUSC Health Family Sunday games feature free parking and kids heading to the field to run the bases after the game. Families begin lining up for the opportunity long before the final out is recorded, with the participation at The Joe far surpassing most similar experiences around Minor League Baseball. Children were still crossing home plate nearly 30 minutes after the game concluded.
Following an off day on Monday, the RiverDogs will head to Zebulon, NC for the first time to play the Carolina Mudcats in a six-game series. First pitch on Tuesday night is set for 6:30 p.m. RHP Gary Gill Hill (3-1, 2.69) will earn the first start of the series for Charleston. Carolina has not announced a starting pitcher at this time.
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Charleston 11, Kannapolis 10
July 28, 2024
Click here for the box score
Kannapolis (R-H-E): 10-12-1
Charleston (R-H-E): 11-13-1
Win: Nichols (2-6)
Loss: Perkins (0-1)
Save: Alberto (2)
HR: Kannapolis: Albertson Asigen (5, 8th inning, 0 on base)
HR: Charleston: Enderson Delgado (3, 1st inning, 2 on base)