For much of the first two weeks of the South Atlantic League season, the Charleston RiverDogs starting pitching staff was really struggling. However, the group has rebounded and starter Nick Green continued the run, as the RiverDogs starter pitched 6.2 outstanding innings in leading Charleston to a 4-1 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds. This means that the pitching staff for the RiverDogs has allowed just eight runs in the last five games.

Green was opposed by Matthias Dietz, and both of these pitchers looked sharp early on. It was a scoreless tie through the first three innings, as Green allowed just one base runner through the first three frames, and he was erased by a double-play. Dietz gave up a single in the first and second innings, but none would get past first base.

In the fourth, the Charleston RiverDogs would take the lead. Diego Castillo led off with a walk and moved to second when Hoy Jun Park was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, and Angel Aguilar brought Castillo home with a sacrifice fly. Brandon Wagner delivered a two-out single to score Park and it was 2-0 Charleston.

Green had dominated through the first six innings, giving the Shorebirds no opportunity to mount any kind of rally. Through the first two-thirds of the game, only two players had reached on singles, and both had been eliminated on double-plays. That meant the Charleston starter had retired the minimum through six.

However, that string ended in the bottom of the seventh when Ryan McKenna led off with a double. A ground out moved him to third before Collin Woody walked to put runners at the corners with two-outs.

Green (2-3) had been absolutely brilliant on the night. He went 6.2-innings, allowing 3-hits, a walk, and no earned runs. He struck out 7 in his 93-pitch performance.

Garrett Mundell finished out the inning, but a passed ball allowed McKenna to score to cut the lead to one.

The RiverDogs responded in their next at-bat, extending their lead to three. Back-to-back singles by Eduardo Navas and Estevan Florial started the inning, and a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Next up was Park, who grounded to second, but the ball was misplayed and both runners scored. That made it 4-1 which would be the final.

The RiverDogs recorded 7-hits, led by Blake Rutherford who was 2-4. No Shorebirds player had more than one-hit. Not only was Green exceptional on this night, but Mundell pitch 1.1 perfect innings, striking out all four batters he faced. Anyelo Gomez closed out the ninth, striking out the side for his fifth save of the season.

The final of this four-game series is tomorrow at 2:05. Adonis Rosa (0-0, 2.87) will go for the Charleston RiverDogs against Travis Seabrooke (1-1, 3.45).

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier