RiverDogs Can’t Hold Early Lead, Fall to Drive, 3-2
The Charleston RiverDogs entered Thursday night’s game as losers of three of their last four contests. They were looking to get the month of June off to a great start, and even grabbed an early 2-0 lead, but the Greenville Drive scored the final three runs of the game, to walk away with the 3-2 victory. Hildemaro Requena pitched three shutout innings to earn the victory, and Tucker Tubbs hit his second home run of the season to lead the home team in the win.

The RiverDogs grabbed a lead in the top of the first inning against Greenville starter Robby Sexton. Estevan Florial started off the game by grounding a single into right field and moved to third when Angel Aguilar hit the first of two doubles on the day into left field. Next up was Blake Rutherford, who grounded to the second baseman. The ball was booted, allowing both runners to score and Charleston led 2-0.
RiverDogs starter Nick Green was cruising through the first three innings, only allowing one hit while striking out three through that stretch. However, in the fourth, Greenville tied the score. Lorenzo Cedrola started the inning by beating out a ground ball for a single and, two batters later, Ryan Scott singled into left field. A fielding error by the left fielder allowed Cedrola to score and Scott to move two third. Next up was Tyler Hill who singled into right field, scoring Scott and the game was tied.
From there, it would be an exciting ballgame, where neither offense was able to get much rolling. After allowing the two runs in the first inning, Sexton tossed five scoreless to keep his team in the ballgame. He would eventually leave after six innings, striking out seven and allowing just the two runs.

Nick Green looked nearly as good. He had pitched a great ballgame through the first seven innings, only allowing one earned run to that point. However, in the bottom of the eighth the Greenville Drive would take the lead. Tucker Tubbs led off the frame by drilling a towering flyball over the left-center field fence for his second home run of the season.
Hildemaro Requena had come on in the seventh inning and had pitched brilliantly. It had looked like Charleston would actually take the lead in the top of the eighth inning when Aguilar doubled with one out and Rutherford followed with a base hit. However, Hill’s throw to the plate nailed Aguilar to keep the score tied at two. Tubbs then gave his team the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Requena (3-2) remained in the game in the top half the inning. He would give up a two-out single, but retired the final batter to give the Drive the 3-2 victory.
Tyler Hill finished the contest 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Tucker Tubbs was 1-2 with a run, home run, RBI, and a walk. Angel Aguilar finished 2-4 with 2-doubles.
These two teams will square off again tomorrow. The Charleston RiverDogs (26-27) send Freicer Perez (1-2, 4.28) to the hill. The Greenville Drive (33-20) counter with Jhonathan Diaz (1-0, 3.60). First pitch is that 7:05.
By Robert Pannier