5/22/13

Charleston 2 - Savannah 0



Dogs Reclaim First With 2-0 Win Tuesday

Savannah, GA – The Charleston RiverDogs took a pitchers’ duel 2-0 from the Savannah Sand Gnats Tuesday night at Historic Grayson Stadium. The teams have traded wins in the first two games of their series and control of first place. The ‘Dogs (25-17) now lead the Gnats by one half game (25-18) for the top spot in the South Atlantic League Southern Division.

The RiverDogs scored the game’s first run in the top of the first inning off Gnats’ LHP Steven Matz. CF Taylor Dugas singled, stole second and scored on a groundball double play for a 1-0 lead.

Charleston used back-to-back triples up the right-centerfield gap from C Peter O’Brien and 3B Dante Bichette Jr. in the fourth inning to make it 2-0.

After Bichette’s triple, Matz settled in, retiring the final eight batters he faced, five on strikeouts. He fanned nine in his six innings, setting a new season-high, and tying a career-high.

On the other side, the Gnats managed only three singles in six innings against ‘Dogs’ starter Rafael De Paula who struck out five and walked two to win his fifth game of the year.

The Gnats did not get a runner to third base until the eighth inning, but stranded runners at third in the eighth and ninth inning and the tying run at second base in the ninth.

Savannah will send RHP Rainy Lara (4-1, 1.17) to the mound in the series finale against Charleston’s LHP Evan Rutckyj (4-2, 5.03) Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm. Gates to Historic Grayson Stadium open at 6 pm and the radio pregame begins on News/Talk 630 and online at sandgnats.com at 6:45.

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