Crooked Number in Eighth Lifts RiverDogs to Third Straight Victory

Tied entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the Charleston RiverDogs scored three runs in the bottom of that frame to pull away from the Fayetteville Woodpeckers for a 6-3 win on Thursday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The victory was the team’s third straight in the series and allowed them to take a 4.5 game lead over the Columbia Fireflies in the second half south division standings. The RiverDogs earned the victory in front of 3,915 fans.

The game began as a pitcher’s duel between the RiverDogs Gary Gill Hill and Yeriel Santos of the Woodpeckers. Each team entered the fifth inning with just one hit against the opposing starter. Fayeteville (23-32, 52-69) broke through first with help from a leadoff walk to Nehomar Ochoa Jr. in that inning. Cesar Hernandez worked the count full in the next at-bat and then lined a double to the gap. Drew Vogel followed with an RBI single that gave the Woodpeckers a 1-0 advantage. With runners on the corners, Will Bush bounced into a 4-6-3 double play as a second run crossed the plate.

As they did on Wednesday night, the RiverDogs (34-21, 61-59) bounced back off the mat quickly. Brady Marget and Angel Mateo opened the inning with back-to-back singles to right field. A wild pitch from Santos advanced each runner 90 feet and allowed a sacrifice fly from Carlos Colmenarez to get the home team on the board. Jose Perez won a 10-pitch battle by lining a game-tying RBI single back up the middle in the next at-bat. Following a double from Adrian Santana, a sacrifice fly from Aidan Smith handed the RiverDogs a 3-2 lead.

After a pair of scoreless innings, Fayetteville took advantage of some command issues for Dalton Fowler in the top of the eighth. The lefty walked leadoff hitter Max Holy to begin the frame, allowing the second baseman to steal second and third base on consecutive pitches. A wild pitch brought Holy in and evened the score 3-3.

Charleston started the difference-making eight with a single to right by Smith. Emilien Pitre followed with a walk and runners were on first and second with nobody out. Jhon Diaz ripped an RBI single back through the middle to hand the RiverDogs the lead back. Two wild pitches from reliever Yanquiel Sanchez brought in a pair of insurance runs and padded the margin to 6-3.

Andy Rodriguez retired the side in order in the ninth to earn the victory on the mound with 2.0 scoreless, hitless, frames. Hayden Snelsire worked 1.1 scoreless innings as the first man out of the bullpen to lower his ERA for the season to 2.54. Gill Hill departed after 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on four hits.

Smith and Marget paced the RiverDogs attack with two hits each. For the third night in a row, the Fayetteville lineup did not feature a player with multiple hits. The Woodpeckers finished with five as a team.

Ballpark Fun

The RiverDogs played as the Boiled Peanuts for the final time this season on the last Budweiser™ Thirsty Thursday of the campaign. Since 2018, the RiverDogs have suited up as the preferred salty snack of the Lowcountry several times each season. The 2024 season featured a new uniform design for the first time since the creation of the alternate identity.

The series moves into the weekend on Friday night with game four set to get started at 7:05 p.m. The team will wear red on the field and encourage fans to do the same on a Boeing Redshirt Friday. The game worn jerseys will be auctioned off during the contest. The final REV Federal Credit Union fireworks show of the season will take place after the final out. RHP Trevor Harrison (1-0, 4.20) will start on the mound for the RiverDogs with RHP Luis Gonzalez (1-1, 2.89) countering for the Woodpeckers.