The Charleston RiverDogs got a taste of their own medicine Friday night, when Gerrin Grimes finished off a two-out rally that gave the Delmarva Shorebirds a 2-1 walk-off victory in 10 innings. That snapped the RiverDogs six game winning streak.

This game was a classic pitching duel. Christian Morris pitched incredibly well for Charleston, despite only going 3.1 innings, while the Shorebirds starter, Ofelky Peralta, was also dominant through five.

Both teams were held scoreless through the first inning, but each grabbed a run in the second. Chris Gittens started the second off for Charleston by walking and scored when Kendall Coleman laced an RBI triple to the wall in center that easily scored Gittens.

In the bottom of the second, Nathanael Delgado reached on an error with one out to start the rally for Delmarva. Two batters later Steve Laurino singled to keep the inning alive, and Ademar Rifaela delivered a clutch two-out single to score Delgado to tie the score.

For the next seven innings the pitching staffs would shut down the opposing offenses. Morris only allowed the one unearned run in the second, along with 2-hits and 3-walks in his 3.1 innings pitched. He also struck out 4 before reaching his pitch count.

Travis Hissong came on in relief and looked even more impressive. He pitched the remainder of the fourth through the close of the seventh, only allowing 2-hits and no runs, while striking out 2.

Peralta was extremely impressive as well. He allowed 2-hits, a run and 3-walks through 5-innings. His pitches were working for the Delmarva starter all night, as he struck out 10 in the outing. That included the side in the second, and two batters in each of his last three innings of work.

In the sixth Patrick Baker took over for the Shorebirds. He allowed just a hit and a walk in his three innings, striking out 5.

In the bottom of the eighth, Jose Mesa came into relieve for Charleston, and the 1-1 tie kept going. Both teams were getting outstanding performances from their pitching staffs, and Mesa was no different. He walked the first batter of the inning in the eighth, but then struck out the side. In the ninth he issued a two-out walk but, again, left with the game tied.

Tied at one, the game would move to the bottom of the 1oth. Mesa had been brilliant, but an error would lead to his undoing, and eventually make a hero out of Grim. Mesa struck out the first two batters of the frame, but Yermin Mercedes reached on an error when the first baseman dropped the ball on a ground out. Delgado followed with a single, and that brought Grim to the plate. He singled sharply back up the middle, Mercedes was waved home and he scored to give Delmarva the 2-1 win.

Ryan Meisinger (2-1) pitched two perfect innings for the victory. Mesa (0-1) was the hard luck loser. In all, the Shorebirds pitching staff struck out 18 batters in 10 innings. Four different RiverDogs players struck out at least three times, and the lineup only produced three hits.

These two teams will go at it again tomorrow. Cody Carroll (0-1, 2.76) will go for the Charleston RiverDogs. Brian Gonzalez (2-0, 3.48) takes the hill for Delmarva. Game time is 2:05.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier