Walk-Off Road Win Finishes Doubleheader Sweep on Sunday

Carlos Colmenarez slid home safely on a close play at the plate to give the Charleston RiverDogs a 5-4 extra-inning win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday at Atrium Health Ballpark. The RiverDogs also won the first game 4-2, securing a sweep of the twin bill on the road. Charleston finished the seven-game series with a 5-2 record and moved over the .500 mark on the season for the first time since they were 6-5.

In the first contest, the RiverDogs (29-17, 56-55) jumped in front 2-0 for the second straight game. With one out, Adrian Santana yanked a double down the first base line. He scored moments later when Aiden Smith dumped a base hit into shallow right field. Smith advanced to second on an error by the right fielder on the same play, allowing him to score on Narciso Polanco’s RBI single to make it 2-0. The final two hitters of the inning struck out with the bases loaded as the Dogs failed to add on.

Lefthander Jeremy Pilon was dominant on the mound in his RiverDogs debut, holding Kannapolis (19-29, 60-54) scoreless for 4.0 innings. The 18-year-old struck out eight and allowed just three hits.

A big insurance run came across in the top of the fifth. Smith began the inning by working a free pass and stole second in short order. Enderson Delgado followed with a base hit and then collected his first stolen base of the season to put men on second and third with no outs. The next two hitters, Polanco and Angel Mateo struck out swinging to give reliever Hale Sims a potential escape. However, he spiked a breaking ball to the backstop and Smith raced home for a 3-0 lead.

The visitors added one more run in the seventh. Smith singled with one out and stole second base once again. A wild pitch allowed him to advance to third and he beat the throw home on Polanco’s fielder’s choice bouncer to first with a great slide to make it 4-0.

Seth Chavez worked 2.2 perfect innings out of the bullpen and had the RiverDogs within one out of a shutout when he walked Lyle Miller-Green. Luis Pineda followed with a two-run home run and the Cannon Ballers had their only runs of the day.

Smith finished 2-3 with two stolen bases, a walk and two runs scored to spark the Charleston attack. Polanco was 2-4 with two RBI and Santana also collected two knocks. Kannapolis mustered just four hits, one each from four players.

Kannapolis was the team that jumped in front early on in game two. Alex Makarewicz drove his first professional home run just over the right field wall in the second inning to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

The RiverDogs grabbed their own lead in the bottom of the third, serving as the home team in a game that was originally scheduled for Charleston last month. Ricardo Gonzalez worked a walk to start the inning and moved to third on a double by Polanco. Jhon Diaz and Connor Hujsak followed with consecutive RBI singles as the Dogs jumped ahead 2-1.

Before Gerlin Rosario departed, the Cannon Ballers were able to scratch across the tying run. Jeral Perez doubled on an 0-2 breaking ball and scored shortly thereafter on George Wolkow’s single to right. Rosario, making his first start since 2022, allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three.

Neither team scored again until extras, with Kannapolis moving in front in the eighth on an RBI double from Ryan Burrowes. Delgado tied the game by lining a double over the right fielder’s head on the first pitch in the bottom of the inning. He was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple and the RiverDogs could not score again.

In the ninth, Samuel Mejia retired the first two batters, but a pair of wild pitches allowed Wolkow to score and hand the home team a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Colmenarez hit a bouncer up the middle that was fielded by Perez. The shortstop tried to cut down the lead runner, but his throw caromed off Angel Mateo and bounced away, allowing him to score and the winning run to move to second. A sacrifice bunt by Jose Perez moved the winning run to third and set the stage for Gonzalez’s heroics.

The RiverDogs will open a two-week homestand on Tuesday night with the first of six against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Bring your dog with you to the ballpark on a Twisted Tea Dog Day Tuesday!