The Charleston RiverDogs have been hot since the all-star break, despite dropping the first game of their four-game set against the Rome Braves on Monday night. The team responded on Tuesday, scoring seven in the second on their way to the 11-3 victory. Isiah Gilliam and Diego Castillo both drove in three-runs and Freicer Perez won his third game of the year.

After a scoreless first, Charleston put up seven in the second against Tucker Davidson. Donny Sands reached on an error to start the frame before Alexander Palma struck out. Mandy Alvarez followed with a base hit that moved Sands to second before Ben Ruta singled to load the bases. A fielder’s choice scored Sands to make it 1-0, while putting runners at the corners with two down. There were two down, but the third out proved to be completely elusive for Davidson. Hoy Jun Park followed with a single that scored Alvarez. Park then stole second to put two runners into scoring position. Diego Castillo followed with a line drive into right field that dropped in for a single to score both runs. Blake Rutherford followed by drawing a walk and Isiah Gilliam then lined a double down the left field line that scored both Castillo and Rutherford. That made it 6-0.

Davidson was replaced by Thomas Burrows, who would finally end the inning, but not before Donny Sands singled to score Gilliam. In the inning, 11 men would come to the plate with seven runs scoring.

Staked to an early lead, Freicer Perez was in complete control. He retired the first seven batters he faced and allowed only a lone hit through three. However, in the fourth, Rome would finally get on the board. Marcus Mooney singled to start the inning, but Perez was able to retire the next two hitters. Justin Ellison singled to keep the inning alive and a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Lucas Herbert followed with a base hit that scored both runners, but the inning ended when he was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double.

It would stay 7-2 until the sixth when Charleston would plate three more runs. Chris Hess walked with one out and moved to third on a base hit by Park. A ground out by Castillo scored Hess and Park scored on a double by Rutherford. Gilliam then hit his third triple of the season, a ground ball down the right field line that made it 10-2.

In the seventh, the Charleston RiverDogs added one more run. Back-to-back singles by Palma and Alvarez started the inning, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly brought Palma home to extend the lead to nine.

Rome would add one more run in the bottom of the eighth. Back-to-back singles by Kurt Hoekstra and Jordan Rodgers started the inning and a ground out moved both runners into scoring position. A bloop single by Anthony Concepcion plated Hoekstra with the final run of the game, 11-3.

Freicer Perez (3-3) evened his record with the victory, going 6-innings, allowing 4-hits and 2-runs, while striking out 7. That was the right-handers seventh straight outing where he has allowed two-runs or less.

Isiah Gilliam was 2-5 with a run and 3-RBI. Gilliam had a double and a triple. Diego Castillo was 2-5 with a run scored and 3-RBI. Hoy Jun Park and Blake Rutherford each scored 2-runs. Jordan Rodgers had 2-hits for the Rome Braves.

Game 3 of this four-game set is tomorrow. Nick Nelson (0-6, 5.74) looks for his first victory tomorrow. Jeremy Walker (3-6, 5.30) will start for Rome. Game time is set for 7:00.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier