CHARLESTON, S.C. – Augusta and Charleston combined for just three hits in nine innings Saturday night, but an unearned run in the fourth proved all the offense needed for the RiverDogs to snare a 1-0 win at home over the GreenJackets.
Neither side had much of an offensive presence, as starters JR Ritchie and Trevor Harrison each threw five hitless innings in dominant starts. The RiverDogs proved their small ball mettle in the fourth, however, manufacturing the only run of the day.
Speedster Adrian Santana worked an eight-pitch walk, and promptly stole second off of Ritchie and Harry Owen. After a strikeout from Ritchie, JR timed up an inside move perfectly and seemed to have Santana dead to rights at third. That plan went sideways, however, when Willmer De La Cruz dropped the throw and watched the ball dribble out of his glove and down the line, allowing Santana to score.
Augusta’s best chance to strike came in the second, as Harrison struggled with some command problems early. Harrison walked each of the first two batters he faced, giving a prime chance for the bottom of the order with nobody out. Even after a Mason Guerra pop out, a balk advanced both runners to scoring position. The Jackets’ struggles with runners in scoring position in the second half continued, as a fielder’s choice retired Pat Clohisy at the plate and Colby Jones grounded out on a broken bat, quashing hopes of an early lead.
Both bullpens picked up the slack well, as Adel Dilone fired three innings of scoreless baseball behind Ritchie, with the only hit allowed being an infield single off the bat of Narciso Polanco in the 6th. Augusta would not muster a hit until the top of the 8th, when Jones looped a line drive over shortstop to get Augusta on the board. The GreenJackets made one last gasp in the ninth against closer Alexander Alberto, when Isaiah Drake singled to put the tying run aboard. Drake was caught stealing on a perfect throw from JD Gonzalez, however, Augusta’s third out on the bases of the night and sixth of the weekend.
Trevor Harrison earned his first full-season win of the year, one day after his 19th birthday, with his impressive five hitless frames. Ritchie takes his third consecutive loss despite not allowing a hit, as his run of poor luck and little run support continues. Alberto confirmed his third save in as many tries, and set the RiverDogs in prime position to take the series Sunday.
The two sides will play another doubleheader, with a pair of seven-inning games beginning at 2:35p.m. from Riley Park in Charleston. David Rodriguez will take on Santiago Suarez in the opener, with Jacob Shafer making his pro debut in the nightcap against TJ Nichols. The GreenJackets will return home Tuesday evening, to begin a six-game series against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Tickets for the week’s slate of games can be found at greenjacketsbaseball.com or by calling (803) 349-9467.
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