North Augusta, SC - The Augusta GreenJackets scored the final three runs of the game and had the tying run at third base in each of the last two innings, but the Charleston RiverDogs hung on for a 5-4 win on Wednesday at SRP Park. The RiverDogs finished 3-20 with runners in scoring position and stole seven bases.
The ballgame started off in disappointing fashion for the RiverDogs (9-13). Narciso Polanco started the game with a walk and moved all the way to third with just one out but was stranded there. In the bottom of the opening frame, Odalys Peguero dropped a fly ball to left field by Drew Compton, allowing the first run of the night to cross the plate.
The RiverDogs bounced back in the second inning. Raudelis Martinez opened the inning with a single and was joined on base shortly afterwards when Ricardo Gonzalez beat out an infield single of his own. A walk to Cristopher Barete loaded the bases for the top of the order. Polanco made sure to cash in, extending his hitting streak to six games with a line drive into left center that put the Dogs in front 2-1.
Barete took a quick trip around the bases to pad the lead in the fifth. He led off with a single and promptly stole both second and third base. Those stolen bags allowed him to score on Adrian Santana’s bouncer to short. Charleston capitalized on a pair of errors by third baseman Luis Sanchez to increase the lead to 5-1 in the sixth.
The seventh inning presented the RiverDogs with a chance to put the game away, but instead turned momentum back to Augusta (11-12). In the top of the stanza, the RiverDogs came up empty despite loading the bases with no outs. In the bottom half, the GreenJackets closed within one without the help of a hit. Reliever Dalton Fowler allowed three runs on three walks, a hit batter and two wild pitches. The inning ended with Woo Shin snagging a line drive at first base and stepping on the base for a double play.
Robert Gonzalez lined a triple to the wall in right center with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, giving the GreenJackets one last gasp. Will Stevens rebounded to retire PO Boucher on a groundball to third to seal the victory.
Santiago Suarez earned the win with 6.0 strong innings on the mound. He allowed only an unearned run and limited Augusta to four hits, all singles. Owen Stevenson worked 1.1 scoreless innings as the third pitcher into the game. Stevens earned his second save.
The RiverDogs received at least one hit from eight of the nine players in the lineup, including two from Martinez. Augusta was led by Gonzalez’s three hits and received two more from Jace Grady.
The third installment between the teams this week will take place at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday night. RHP T.J. Nichols (1-2, 5.11) will be on the mound for Charleston against RHP Didier Fuentes (1-0, 2.77) of Augusta.
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Charleston 5, Augusta 4
May 1, 2024
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 5-9-3
Augusta (R-H-E): 4-5-2
Win: Suarez (2-1)
Loss: Polo (0-3)
Save: Stevens (2)
HR: Charleston: None
HR: Augusta: None
