Zebulon, NC - The Charleston RiverDogs allowed the Carolina Mudcats to score nine runs in 4.1 innings in the first game on Sunday, losing the resumption of Saturday’s contest at Five County Stadium by a score of 10-5. The second game was even more painful, as the Mudcats scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to secure a 4-3 walk-off win and a series victory.
Saturday night’s contest was resumed with the RiverDogs (20-14, 47-52) leading 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Will Stevens started the contest on the bump and could not record the final out. The righthander allowed a leadoff double to Juan Baez and then issued four straight walks to force in a pair of runs and give Carolina (20-15, 61-39) the lead. Gerlin Rosario entered and allowed one more run to score when Yhoswar Garcia beat out an infield single to short.
Charleston missed out on a big opportunity in the fifth, putting runners at second and third with no outs and failing to score. They were presented with a similar situation in the sixth, albeit with one out, when Angel Mateo walked and Noah Myers followed with a double. A pair of wild pitches allowed both to cross the plate and even the game at 4-4.
The Mudcats pulled away for good in the bottom of the sixth against Rosario. Two walks and a single to the first three batters of the inning loaded the bases. Ricardo Gonzalez misplayed David Garcia’s groundball to second allowing Carolina to take a 5-4 advantage. Yhoswar Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly and the margin ballooned to 8-4 with a two-run double by Yophery Rodriguez.
The RiverDogs scored a run in the eighth but could not get any closer. Noah Myers singled with one out and raced around the bases to score on Carlos Colmenarez’s double to right center. Carolina did their final damage on Baez’s two-RBI double with two outs in the eighth.
Rosario was dealt his first loss this season after surrendering a season-high four runs over 2.0 innings. Stevens walked four batters and did not record an out, finding himself responsible for three runs. Andy Rodriguez allowed two runs over 2.1 innings in his debut with the team.
Baez led all hitters with three hits. Four different Mudcats collected two RBI each. Myers was the only Charleston player with more than one hit, finishing 2-4 with a double and two runs scored.
In the regularly scheduled Sunday game, the teams again waited out a brief delay. Without a hit, the RiverDogs managed to grab the lead in the top of the third. Ricardo Gonzalez and Myers each worked a walk in the inning, with a wild pitch from Josh Timmerman allowing runners to get to the corners. With two outs, the duo executed a double steal as Myers took second and Gonzalez raced home in front of a return throw.
T.J. Nichols held Carolina off the board for the first three innings of his outing, allowing one single per frame. He allowed just one hit in the fourth as well, but it was driven over the right field wall for a solo home run by Luis Castillo. His 15th round-tripper of the campaign evened the score 1-1. Nichols did not factor in the decision, allowing only that run over 4.0 innings.
The Mudcats managed to take their first lead against reliever Jonalbert Rumbol in the fifth. Blayberg Diaz and Satchell Norman opened the inning with singles. Rumbol rebounded to get a double play from Rodriguez, but allowed an RBI single to Filippo Di Turi with two outs that made it 2-1 in favor of the home team.
Charleston bounced back quickly, registering their first hits of the game and scoring the tying run in the sixth. Myers poked a ground-rule double down the left field line and moved to third on a groundout by Jhon Diaz. Mateo pounced on an 0-1 offering and ripped a single through the left side of the infield to score the runner.
The RiverDogs cut down the potential go-ahead run at the plate in the bottom of the sixth on a tremendous throw from Diaz and left the winning run at third in the seventh to get the game into extra innings. In the top of the first additional frame, Jose Perez doubled to the gap to put the visitors back in front 3-2.
In the bottom of that same stanza, Alexander Alberto walked Reidy Mercado to begin the inning. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third with still no outs. Miguel Briceno came through with a single to right and, when Mateo fumbled the ball in right field, both the tying and winning runs crossed the plate. It was the second extra innings walk-off for the Mudcats in the series.
Carolina received three hits from Norman out of the nine-spot in the lineup and two hits each from Blayberg Diaz and Briceno. The RiverDogs mustered just three hits in the game, all of them coming in the sixth inning or later.
The RiverDogs will take off on Monday prior to beginning a six-game series at home against the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Fans are welcome to bring their four-legged friend along for all Twisted Tea Dog Day Tuesdays. The RiverDogs are monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Debby and will make adjustments to the schedule with regard for the safety of fans, players and staff if necessary.
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here
Game 1
Carolina 10, Charleston 5
August 4, 2024
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 5-7-1
Carolina (R-H-E): 10-9-1
Win: Birchard (1-0)
Loss: Rosario (1-1)
Save:
HR: Charleston: Narciso Polanco (5, 1st inning, 0 on base), Jhon Diaz (6, 1st inning, 0 on base)
HR: Carolina: None
Game 2
Carolina 4, Charleston 3 (8 innings)
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 3-3-1
Carolina (R-H-E): 4-11-0
Win: B. Rodriguez (2-2)
Loss: Alberto (1-1)
Save:
HR: Charleston: None
HR: Carolina: Luis Castillo (15, 4th inning, 0 on base)
