North Augusta, SC – The RiverDogs led by three runs entering the bottom of the ninth, but Augusta roared back with a four-run rally, capped off by a Mason Guerra walk-off home run to defeat Charleston 6-5 on Saturday night at SRP Park. The loss is the seventh straight for the RiverDogs.
Guerra began his two-homer day with a 422-foot solo homer in the bottom of the second inning that made it 1-0 GreenJackets.
However, it didn’t take long for the RiverDogs to back up their starter Jose Urbina with some longballs of their own.
In the top of the third, Woo Shin tied the game with a solo shot down the left field line – his second in as many days.
Later in the inning, following a Narciso Polanco walk, Brailer Guerrero lasered a two-run, go-ahead home run to right center that put the ‘Dogs in front 3-1.
The GreenJackets chipped into the lead in the bottom of the third on John Gil’s RBI double, but Urbina responded by picking Gil off between second and third base.
The hard-throwing right-hander didn’t allow another run, as he went on to finish six innings for a second consecutive start, striking out four.
Charleston tossed another tally on the line score in the top of the fourth. Following Larry Martinez’s walk, Angel Mateo battled through an 11-pitch at-bat against Augusta starter Rayven Antonio and capped it with an RBI double down the left field line to make it 4-2.
The lead grew to 5-2 in the seventh, as Jose Perez drove in Shin from third base on an RBI knock.
Kaleb Corbett preserved the advantage in relief of Urbina, retiring all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth.
The RiverDogs tabbed Andy Rodriguez for the save in the bottom of the ninth. The GreenJackets applied pressure immediately with back-to-back singles from Gil and Owen Carey.
With runners on second and third, Isaiah Drake sent a ground ball to first base but beat Rodriguez to the bag on a cover play for an RBI single that trimmed the lead to 5-3.
Rodriguez bounced back momentarily, inducing a double-play ball that brought Augusta down to its final out, but allowed Carey to score from third. Rodriguez quickly brought the next batter, Douglas Glod, to an 0-2 count. However, the righty missed on the next three pitches and then was called for a pitch timer violation for ball four.
The walk extended the game for Guerra, who sent a frozen rope just over the left field wall for a two-run, walk-off home run.
Charleston, now 19-25, will attempt to salvage the final game of the series on Sunday night, with first pitch set for 6:05 pm in North Augusta. The RiverDogs begin a six-game homestand against Kannapolis on Tuesday at 7:05 pm. Tickets are available online at RiverDogs.com.
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