RiverDogs Roll to 2-0 Start in Second Half

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By: RiverDogs Media

The Charleston RiverDogs secured their second series win of the 2023 season with a 7-2 victory over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers on Saturday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The RiverDogs scored in each of the first four innings to earn their fourth win in the first five games of the series.

Each team scored a single run in the opening frame. Fayetteville (0-2, 30-38) used two errors and an RBI single off the bat of Jackson Loftin to jump ahead in the top half against Marcus Johnson. The RiverDogs countered to even the score on a sacrifice fly by Dominic Keegan in the bottom half.

In the second inning, Odalys Peguero singled with one out and was joined on base when Estanli Castillo worked a two-out walk. Chandler Simpson cashed in by driving a fly ball to the warning track in right field for a two-run double that put the home team ahead 3-1. The lead doubled in the third inning with the first home run for either team since Tuesday's series opener. Keegan opened the stanza with a base hit and Ryan Spikes worked the count to 2-0 before blasting his team-leading seventh home run of the season to left center.

Doubles from Jhon Diaz and Xavier Isaac in the RiverDogs fourth increased the margin to 6-1. The Woodpeckers scored one more run against Johnson in the fifth. The inning began with a Sandro Gaston single and a hit by pitch. Zach Cole followed with an RBI single to right to make it 6-2. Johnson retired the next three hitters in order and finished the night having allowed two runs, one earned, in 5.1 innings. He struck out five on the way to earning his first win of the season.

Charleston tacked on one more run for good measure in the seventh. Peguero drove in Keegan with a bases loaded single to reach the final total of 7-2.

Kikito Severino, Matt Wyatt and Jack Hartman combined to work 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. The trio struck out five, walked one and allowed just one hit.

The RiverDogs were led by Spikes, who finished the evening 3-4 with the home run, two RBI and a run scored. Simpson and Peguero added two hits each. Fayetteville finished the night with five hits.

Ballpark Fun

The RiverDogs kicked off their annual Larry Doby Weekend with both teams wearing Negro League replica uniforms. The RiverDogs dressed as the Newark Eagles, the team that Doby played for, and the Woodpeckers wore the jerseys of the Homestead Grays. Prior to the game, Chris Singleton hosted his annual Doby Softball game, bringing together local athletes, politicians, and prominent business owners from the African American community.

The series concludes on Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. The RiverDogs will run RHP Jake Christianson (2-0, 3.29) to the mound for his second start of the week and Fayetteville will call on RHP Amilcar Chirinos (0-2, 6.14). On MUSC Family Sunday, parking is free, and kids can run the bases after the game. The RiverDogs will also wear replica Cannon Street All-Stars jerseys that will be auctioned during the game.

RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).

Charleston 7, Fayetteville 2 June 24, 2023

Click here for the box score Fayetteville (R-H-E): 2-5-1 Charleston (R-H-E): 7-10-2

Win: Johnson (1-3) Loss: Santa (2-5) Save:

HR: Fayetteville: None HR: Charleston: Spikes (7, 3rd inning, 1 on base)