By: RiverDogs Media
Salisbury, MD- The Charleston RiverDogs longest winning streak of the season remained intact after a 9-5 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds at Perdue Stadium on Tuesday night. The RiverDogs scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to secure their sixth consecutive victory. They are off to a 4-0 start to their nine-game road trip.
Each team used a solo home run to score their first run of the series. For the RiverDogs (11-7, 38-46), Cooper Kinney blasted his seventh home run of the season over the right field wall in the second at-bat of the game. The Dogs maintained that early advantage until there were two outs in the second inning, when Rolphy Cuz tied the game with his first long ball of the campaign.
The RiverDogs managed to add to the lead in both the third and fourth innings, scoring a single run in each frame. Cristopher Barete started the third by laying down a bunt and advancing to second on a throwing error by the pitcher Alfred Vega. Estanli Castillo worked a walk and Chandler Simpson beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Kinney drew a walk to force in a run and make it 2-1 in the RiverDogs favor. There were still no outs when Xavier Isaac lined into a 4-6-3 triple play to end the inning.
In the fourth, Ryan Spikes opened the stanza with a double to the left-center gap. Jhon Diaz grounded softly back to the mound as Spikes held at second base. The next hitter, Odalys Peguero, followed with a double of his own, trading places with Spikes as the lead grew to 3-1.
Six consecutive batters reached base safely in a big fifth inning for the visitors that put the game away. Castillo reached on an error by shortstop Carter Young to start the rally. After Simpson flied out to left field, the impressive run began. Kinney reached with an infield single, and Xavier Isaac followed with a 440-foot blast over the right field wall for his ninth home run of the season. Spikes and Diaz each singled and then executed a double steal with a throwing error allowing Spikes to score from third. Raudelis Martinez added an RBI double to cap the inning with an 8-1 lead.
Delmarva (10-7, 38-44) chipped away with plenty of help from the RiverDogs bullpen in the sixth. Junior William retired the first two batters of the inning but walked three in a row to load the bases. Jake Christianson took over with the bases loaded and also walked the first two batters he faced, allowing two runs to score on a pair of wild pitches in between.
Both teams scored in the eighth, with the RiverDogs building the lead to 9-3 with an RBI groundout from Simpson. The Shorebirds countered with a two-run home run from Samuel Basallo that closed the scoring. The long ball was the catcher's 12th of the season.
Jonny Cuevas earned the win on the mound with 5.0 quality innings of work. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits with five strikeouts. William allowed two runs in 0.2 innings in his first outing since late June. Christianson collected the save by working the final 3.1 innings.
Kinney, Spikes and Martinez recorded two hits each as the RiverDogs reached double-digits in the hit column for the fifth time in the last six games. Delmarva received two hits from Anderson De Los Santos.
The series will continue Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Alex Ayala Jr. (0-4, 4.83) will take the hill first for the RiverDogs. The Shorebirds will go to LHP Luis De Leon for his debut with the team.
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 9, Delmarva 5 July 18, 2023
Click here for the box score
Win: Cuevas (4-6)
Loss: Vega (3-3)
HR: Charleston: Cooper Kinney (7, 1st inning, 0 on base), Xavier Isaac (9, 5th inning, 2 on base)
