By: RiverDogs Media
North Augusta, SC – The Charleston RiverDogs dropped the opening game of a road series against the Augusta GreenJackets by a 6-3 score on Tuesday night at SRP Park. The defeat paired with a Myrtle Beach victory, dropped the RiverDogs one game behind the Pelicans in the Carolina League South Division race with only eight games remaining in the first half.
Following a scoreless first inning, Augusta (32-26) opened the scoring in the second. Brandol Mezquita legged out an infield single to start the frame and quickly stole second base. The next batter, Brandon Parker, blasted a two-run home run to give the GreenJackets a 2-0 lead. Daiveyon Whittle walked Kadon Morton to begin the third inning and Cal Conley took advantage by lining a triple to the wall in center field. Geraldo Quintero followed with a sacrifice fly to grow the cushion to 4-0.
The RiverDogs (40-18) cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth. Mason Auer worked a 3-0 count before smacking a leadoff home run in the stanza. The long ball was his fourth of the season. With one out, Nick Schnell doubled, and Kenny Piper followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2.
The GreenJackets responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to reestablish control. Adam Zebrowski smacked a two-out, RBI double in the fourth off of Whittle in his final inning on the hill. A wild trip around the bases from Cal Conley in the fifth pushed the margin back to four. The shortstop hit a bouncer back to the mound that was thrown away by pitcher Jonny Cuevas. With Conley racing toward third, Auer’s throw from right field skipped away from Willy Vasquez for a second error that allowed Conley to score.
Piper launched his first home run of the season with two outs in the sixth to close out the RiverDogs scoring for the night.
Carson Williams finished his night 3-5 with a pair of doubles. Piper drove in two runs in addition to his home run. Luis Leon extended his hit streak to 10 games with a sixth inning single.
Whittle suffered the loss, allowing five runs on five hits over 4.0 innings of work. Cuevas followed with 3.0 solid innings out of the bullpen, allowing only an unearned run. Aneudy Cortorreal worked a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts.
The series picks back up quickly with a 12:05 p.m. first pitch on Wednesday afternoon. RHP Ben Peoples (2-2, 3.35) will take the ball for the RiverDogs. Augusta will call on RHP JJ Niekro (5-0, 2.09).
Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. 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).
