The RiverDogs used a strong start from Jose Urbina and five-run rally in the seventh inning to defeat the Lynchburg Hillcats 7-3 on Saturday night in front of 4,639 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
Charleston (40-34) keeps the series split in play with the victory and moves to 5-3 in the second half.
Urbina kept Lynchburg off balance from the outset, striking out the side in the second inning.
With two outs in the third, the RiverDogs rallied to score the first run of the contest for the fifth straight game.
Theo Gillen and Connor Hujsak both punched infield singles, and Nathan Flewelling broke the deadlock with a hard-hit single to right field, just over the outstretched glove of Robert Lopez to score Gillen and make it 1-0 Charleston.
The RiverDogs kept their momentum and grew the lead in the fourth.
Woo Shin walked and Yirer Garcia singled, and Jose Perez followed with a walk to load the bases. Narciso Polanco capitalized with a ground out to second, scoring Shin to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Hillcats loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth inning, but were unable to capitalize as Urbina and the RiverDogs defense escaped the jam with a lineout and a 5-3 double play, bringing the crowd to a roar.
Urbina finished his fifth quality start of the season with six strikeouts in six shutout innings.
Lynchburg found success against the RiverDogs’ bullpen in the seventh inning to tie the game.
Reliever Andy Rodriguez gave up two sharply hit singles to start the inning, and Jose Pirela doubled to knot the game at two. Rodriguez bounced back to keep the game tied, stranding Pirela on second to end the inning.
The RiverDogs bats surged back with a response in the bottom of the seventh.
Polanco singled and Gillen walked to start the inning, and a flyout at the warning track courtesy of Hujsak moved both runners into scoring position. That set the stage for Flewelling, who flicked a single to bring both men home, pushing the ‘Dogs back in front 4-2. Flewelling finished the game 2-3 with 3 RBIs.
A Ricardo Gonzalez RBI single made it 5-2, and Yirer Garcia followed with a sacrifice fly to burgeon the lead to 6-2. Charleston capped the rally with some small ball, as Woo Shin stole second base, drawing a throw to second, which allowed Gonzalez to swipe home.
Lynchburg got a run back in the top of the eighth thanks to an error, but failed to stage a full comeback.
Ballpark Fun: Today’s ballgame was a celebration of Carolina Day, commemorating the Battle of Sullivans Island. A cannon was fired immediately before the contest to get into the Carolina Day spirit. During the action, there were Revolutionary war themed games, like a musket loading contest. A fifer performance of Yankee Doodle was also a crowd-pleaser. Postgame, performers reenacted the famous battle and gathered kids from the crowd to take part in the performance. Lastly was the Drone show, which proved to be worth the wait. Fans ooh’d and ahh’d at the Revolutionary War story depicted by the drones, with some RiverDogs shoutouts sprinkled in as well. Fans saw a beautiful spectacle of lights while also learning more about a historic period in early American history.
The series wraps up Sunday evening, with first pitch set for 5:05 pm. It’s Star Wars Night at the ballpark, and the RiverDogs will suit up in special edition Star Wars Jerseys, which will be auctioned postgame to benefit MUSC Children’s Hospital.