Despite surrendering their lead in the ninth, the Charleson RiverDogs rallied back to earn a 3-2 walk-off victory in front of 2,566 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on Wednesday night.
The RiverDogs notched their ninth walk-off victory in the process, tying Spokane for the third most in Minor League Baseball this season.
The RiverDogs jumped on the board first in the bottom of the fourth when Brady Marget launched an RBI double to left to score Cooper Flemming and make it 1-0. Marget has driven in 21 runs this month.
After Wilson evened the score in the sixth, Charleston provided an instant response when Brody Donay rolled an RBI single to left.
Dominic Fritton was stellar on the bump, tossing six innings of one-run ball while fanning seven hitters. In the month of July, he has allowed just three earned runs across 20.1 innings of work.
In the top of the ninth, Rylan Mills tied the game with a solo shot to right. The RiverDogs rallied again in the bottom of the frame when Tom Poole walked, advanced to second on a balk and moved to third on a wild pitch.
With two outs, Summerhill tapped a soft roller to the left side of the infield. Wilson third basemen Filippo Di Turi made the diving stop, but couldn’t transfer the ball cleanly, allowing Poole to score the winning run. The single marked Summerhill’s third knock of the night.
With the loss, the RiverDogs fell to 50-41 and 13-12 in the second half, while Wilson moved to 48-41, and 12-11 in the second half. The two return to the Joe on Wednesday for game two of the series. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park with coverage beginning at 6:50 on the RiverDogs Broadcast Network.
Ballpark Fun:
SPAM Night brought plenty of laughs to The Joe as fans celebrated one of America's most iconic canned foods. SPAMMY, the larger-than-life mascot, spent the evening roaming the concourse for photos with fans, while SPAM-themed promotions and fun facts kept the crowd entertained throughout the game.
The night's biggest event came during the SPAM hot dog eating contest, where contestants battled to see who could finish the most SPAM dogs. Fans also took advantage of one of the best deals in baseball with Wiener Wednesday's 50-cent SPAM dogs, making for a fun-filled night of unique promotions, full stomachs, and baseball at The Joe.
Let Freedom Bark
After clinching the Carolina League South first half title, the RiverDogs have secured a spot in the 2026 postseason, presented by Nucor Steel Berkeley. The best-of-three Division Series begins on Tuesday, September 8. Thanks to their first-half division title, the RiverDogs are guaranteed to host Game 2, and, if necessary, Game 3, at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on September 10 and 11.
Season Ticket Holders can renew their 2026 package for 2027, to receive complimentary tickets to all home postseason games. All other fans can purchase an exclusive package that includes a ticket to all home playoff games and a guaranteed t-shirt for a limited time. Tickets are available here.