RiverDogs Cruise Past Lexington to Win Third Straight

Charleston combines for a 15-hit attack to take opening series

 

CHARLESTON, SC –  Blake Rutherford hit a career-high three doubles and Hoy Jun Park roped the first RiverDogs home run of the season as part of a 15-hit attack as the Charleston RiverDogs cruised past Lexington, 12-4, in front of 4,379 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park to win their third straight on Sunday evening.

 

Rutherford, rated the No. 3 prospect in the Yankees system heading into the season, is now hitting a blistering .500 (8-for-14) to begin the year as the RiverDogs (3-1) clinched the opening series of the season.

 

Following two heartbreaking comeback wins by Charleston the previous two nights, the Legends (1-3) got on the board first in the top of the second inning when Manny Olloque hit a deep fly ball to right field that stayed fair for a home run, making it 1-0 Lexington.

 

The lead wouldn’t last long as the RiverDogs tied things up in the bottom half. Estevan Florial lead off with a double to centerfield and Leonardo Molina advanced him to third on a ground out to short. Carlos Vidal walked and Brandon Wagner hit an RBI single to right field that scored Florial, evening the odds at 1-1. 

 

The RiverDogs kept the momentum going in the bottom of the third inning as three more runs came in. Shortstop Diego Castillo started things off with a one out single into center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rutherford hit the first of his three doubles and advanced Castillo to third from where he would subsequently score on a wild pitch. With two outs, Florial walked and Molina singled to center to score two aided by a Lexington throwing error.

 

After Lexington made it a one run game after a two-run fourth, Charleston regained their cushion in the bottom half. Wagner lead off the inning with a double to right center field and Park and Castillo followed with walks to load the bases. On the first pitch, Rutherford cranked a two-run double to left field that scored two, making it 6-3 RiverDogs.

 

A plethora of errors by Lexington in the bottom of the fifth inning broke the score wide open as the RiverDogs added five more to their lead. Molina lead off the inning with a chopper to third that was mishandled by Rivera. Vidal followed with a single to left and Wagner singled to right to load the bases. Park cashed in Molina on a single and an error by Gasparini scored Vidal. Castillo singled to right scoring Wagner. Rutherford hit his third double of the game scoring Park. Third baseman Angel Aguilar brought in another on a sac fly to center that made it 11-3.

 

The RiverDogs nabbed one more in the seventh inning after Park crushed one out of the Joe to right field for the first Charleston homer of the year and the first for the 21-year-old Korean in front of the home crowd.

 

The Charleston bullpen kept the Legends at bay, allowing only three hits and striking out five throughout the last four innings split between Kolton Mahoney and Garrett Mundell making their 2017 debuts. A pair of Lexington doubles in the ninth made it 12-4.

 

Wagner finished 3-for-5 with an RBI while Rutherford had a day going 3-5 with three doubles, Castillo added an RBI to his count and scored two runs while going 3-for-4.

Brian Keller (1-0, 3.60) got the win for the RiverDogs, pitching five strong innings allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits with five strike outs. Gomez (0-1, 11.25) took the loss for Lexington, pitching through four innings and giving up six runs (five earned).

 

Ballpark Fun

The RiverDogs hosted the first MUSC Health Family Sunday in the Holy City on Kid’s Opening Day at The Joe. On a day all about the kids, Lowcountry youth took over various jobs at the ballpark from ticket taking, PA announcing, throwing out the first pitch, and more. Families enjoyed free parking for the game while members of the MUSC Health Kids Club could play pregame catch on the field, eat free, and run the bases postgame. The RiverDogs rebranded in their pinstriped “Holy City” uniforms for the first time in 2017.

 

Upcoming

The RiverDogs challenge the Augusta GreenJackets, the Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, and start a three-game series on Monday night. Charleston will send out former fourth round pick, RHP Nick Nelson making his first start of the season as Augusta counters with RHP Caleb Baragar. First pitch is set for 7:05pm at The Joe.

 

RiverDogs tickets, including options for the all-new Riley Park Club, are now available and can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com. Those that can’t make it to the park can follow every pitch of the RiverDogs season on WTMA 1250 AM in the tri-county area or by streaming online at riverdogs.com and the TuneIn Radio App by searching “RiverDogs