By: Riverdogs Media
Kannapolis, NC — The Charleston RiverDogs watched a seven run lead nearly disappear, but quickly righted the ship and pulled away for an 11-6 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Atrium Health Ballpark on Saturday night. The victory was the eighth in a row for the team as they moved to 21 games over .500 on the season. The RiverDogs have scored 56 runs over the first five games of the series and have scored double-digit runs in four of them.
The game was scoreless entering the third when the RiverDogs (36-15) batted around in an inning for the third straight game. The team scored five runs on six hits in the frame. Heriberto Hernandez drove in the first two runs of the inning and Garrett Hiott and Johan Lopez each plated a run with an RBI single.
The advantage grew to 7-0 as two more runs crossed the plate in the top of the fourth. Brett Wisely started the rally with an infield hit and quickly stole second base. Hernandez followed with a base hit up the middle as Wisely advanced to third. The runner was able to score when center fielder Cabarea Weaver nonchalantly lofted the ball back to the infield. Later, Nick Schnell drove in Hernandez with a single to right field.
Ben Brecht earned the win by tossing 5.0 shutout innings with five strikeouts. However, when the southpaw departed, Kannapolis (15-37) came alive. The Cannon Ballers scored three runs in the sixth off of Hector Figueroa to trim the lead considerably. In the seventh, they put up three more runs against Addison Moss and moved the tying run to second base with one out. Moss retired Harvin Mendoza on a line drive to center and then Brayden Theriot got Weaver to fly out as the lead stayed intact.
The RiverDogs responded with a clutch hit in the eighth to gain some breathing room. A Schnell bunt single was followed by a Hiott double, putting runners on second and third with no outs against Jordan Mikel. Lopez popped out and Alexander Ovalles struck out, giving Mikel an opening to wiggle out of trouble. However, Michael Berglund walked to load the bases and Alika Williams won a long battle by lining a bases-clearing double into right field to push the lead to 10-6. Lopez added a sacrifice fly in the ninth to reach the 11-6 final score.
Williams drove in three runs with Hernandez and Lopez chipping in two RBI each. Hiott led all hitters by going 4-4 with two walks. Williams finished with three hits, while four other RiverDogs collected two each. Every player in the lineup provided at least one hit as the team tallied 18 for the night, one short of their season-high. Curtis Mead extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-hit night.
Theriot worked 1.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out three hitters in the eighth inning. Angel Felipe closed out the contest by retiring the side in order in the final frame.
The RiverDogs will try to finish off a series sweep on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. RHP Seth Johnson (3-2, 3.31) will make his second start of the series for the RiverDogs. Kannapolis will turn to RHP Chase Solesky (1-3, 4.63).
All RiverDogs games are broadcast worldwide on riverdogs.com. A television broadcast of all 60 home games during the 2021 season will also be available via MiLB.TV. Games are also available on the MiLB First Pitch app.
RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are now available for the 2021 campaign at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule for the 2021 season is available at riverdogs.com.
