RiverDogs Sweep Doubleheader to Open Series with Augusta

The Charleston RiverDogs swept a doubleheader from the Augusta GreenJackets in front of 2,975 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on Wednesday night. The home team won the opening game 3-1 and then walked-off 4-3 with a sacrifice fly from Heriberto Hernandez in the nightcap. The RiverDogs have won 11 straight games over the GreenJackets.

In the first game, the RiverDogs grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Brett Wisely led off the inning with a double to the wall in center field and moved to third on a fly ball to right field from Diego Infante. With the infield in, Heriberto Hernandez hit a hard groundball to short that was bobbled by Vaughn Grissom, allowing Wisely to cross the plate.

In the final frame, Infante singled with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Hernandez went down on strikes, Matt Dyer hooked a double down the left field line to double the lead to 2-0. In the ensuing at bat, Alexander Ovalles also doubled to make it 3-0.

The RiverDogs were one out way from their 13th shutout of the season, when Landon Stephens lined a home run over the wall in the left field corner to put Augusta on the board. Franklin Dacosta struck out Ricardo Rodriguez to end the game moments later.

Dacosta earned the win by tossing 5.0 innings out of the bullpen. He allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts. Starter Ben Brecht worked 2.0 scoreless innings in his return from the injured list. Infante went 2-3 as the only player in the game with multiple hits.

In the nightcap, Hernandez launched a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to put the RiverDogs (56-23) on top. The GreenJackets managed to tie the score in the fourth when Vaughn Grissom worked a walk off of starter Seth Johnson. With Grissom on the move, Bryson Horne pulled a double down the line that allowed the runner to score.

Neither team was able to score again until the eighth inning, the first extra frame. That inning began with Stephen Paolini on second. With one out, Braulio Vasquez chopped a bouncer over the mound that was gloved in backhanded fashion by Wisely. The second baseman threw off-balance to first and the ball skipped past Jonathan Embry for an error that allowed Paolini to score. An errant pick-off throw moved Vasquez to third, allowing him score on a sacrifice fly from Cam Shepherd to give Augusta (34-46) a 3-1 advantage.

In the bottom of the frame, Embry doubled down the right field line to drive in one run and put the tying run in scoring position. A Beau Brundage roller to the right side pushed Embry to third with two outs. Pinch-hitter Abiezel Ramirez sent the game to another frame by beating out an infield single to tie the score once again.

Andrew Gross held the GreenJackets without a run in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for the exciting finish in the home half. Wisely opened the inning on second base and moved to third with one out on a pick-off throw from Ben Dum. Hernandez lifted a breaking ball to center field that was just deep enough to allow Wisely to tag and score, sparking a celebration on the field near first base.

Hernandez was 1-3 with a home run and two runs batted to lead the RiverDogs four-hit effort. On the mound, Gross earned the win by allowing two, unearned, runs in the two extra frames. Johnson was solid over 5.0 innings on the hill, surrendering just one run on two hits with six strikeouts. Joe LaSorsa also worked 2.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Ballpark Fun

On Golf Night in support of Friends of the Muni, in place of a ceremonial first pitch, the RiverDogs had several golfers make a "first chip" from behind the mound toward a target on home plate prior to the game. One young lady executed a perfect shot that dropped inside the net.

The RiverDogs and GreenJackets will meet for game three of the series on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Ian Seymour (1-0, 3.54) will start for the RiverDogs in a meeting with Augusta RHP Rainiery Rodriguez (1-1, 7.45). On Thirsty Thursday, $1 beers will be available throughout the ballpark and DJ Natty Heavy will be dropping beats on the Ashley View Pub.

Playoff tickets for the Low-A East Championship Series in September are on sale now at riverdogs.com. For a limited time, fans who purchase tickets to the team’s first home playoff game will receive all subsequent home games for free. Purchase playoff tickets here.

All RiverDogs games are broadcast worldwide on riverdogs.com. A television broadcast of all 60 home games during the 2021 season will also be available via MiLB.TV. Games are also available on the MiLB First Pitch app.

RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are now available for the 2021 campaign at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule for the 2021 season is available at riverdogs.com.