North Augusta, S.C. – Taitn Gray launched two homers and drove in six runs as the Charleston RiverDogs powered past the Augusta GreenJackets 13-7 on Thursday night at SRP Park.
Gray also tallied a career-high four hits in the process. He is the first RiverDogs player 18 years or younger to homer twice in a game since Gary Sanchez did it twice in 2011 when the club was affiliated with the Yankees. This is just the fourth instance in franchise history since 2005.
He also became the first RiverDogs player to homer from both sides of the plate since Abiezel Ramirez on July 8, 2021 versus Augusta, via Tampa Bay Rays Baseball Communications.
The RiverDogs provided the initial blow for the third time this week when Caden Bodine drove in Daniel Pierce with an RBI double to left that made it 1-0 in the first. Later in the frame, Gray lined an RBI single to center and Alberth Palma brought home another with an RBI groundout to make it 3-0.
Charleston rallied for four more in top of the second on another Gray RBI single and Palma RBI double, pushing them ahead 7-0.
After Augusta tacked on two runs in the bottom of the second, Charleston added on one more in the top of the third went Pierce lined an RBI single to left.
In the bottom of the third, Augusta blasted three homers to cut the RiverDogs’ lead to 8-6.
The RiverDogs grabbed a run back in the fourth when Gray belted a solo homer to left, marking his first home run as a right-handed hitter in his professional career.
Gray capped his big night in the sixth, demolishing a three-run homer to right that extended Charleston’s lead to 13-6.
Augusta added on one more in the ninth before Jayden Voelker recorded the final out, securing the 13-7 win.
Starter Aidan Haugh matched a career high with six innings of work and eight punchouts. He earned his second win of the season. Additionally, Jacob Kuhn was strong in relief, providing two scoreless innings of his own.
With the win, Charleston moved to 19-11 while Augusta fell to 15-15. The two return to SRP Park tomorrow for game four of the series with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. Coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on the RiverDogs Broadcast Network.