RiverDogs Fall to Braves, 3-2

The Charleston RiverDogs lost the opener of their four game set with the Rome Braves 3-2 on Thursday night.

The RiverDogs got some great pitching but starter Andy Beresford had one bad inning which would cost him the game. In the top of the fourth the Braves put all three of their runs on the board after a two RBI single by catcher Sal Giardina and a sac fly by Alejandro Piloto.

Beresford otherwise was great setting down the Braves with five and two thirds innings pitched, striking out two and allowing five hits and three walks.

On offense for the RiverDogs it was Brandon Thomas again who went 2-for-3 with a triple and a RBI single. Thomas tripled in the bottom of the sixth and scored on a Tyler Wade single into left field to make it a 3-1 deficit. Thomas would come up big again in the seventh when he stroked a line drive single for a RBI and to bring the Braves lead to 3-2.

Wade was 1-for-3 with a RBI, Yeicok Calderon who was red hot coming into the game was 0-for-2 on the night but was thrown out of the game after striking out in the fifth.

Conor Mullee and Eric Ruth threw a combined three and a third innings of hitless relief to give the RiverDogs a chance at a comeback.

In the bottom of the ninth inning for the RiverDogs after starting the inning with two strikeouts and being down to their final out of the game Charleston rallied to load the bases. Gosuke Katoh walked, Jackson Valera singled and Thomas walked to get on base for the third time in the game. But with the bases juiced and a chance to win the game Michael O’Neil fly out to right field to end the game.

The RiverDogs (61-63) and Braves are back at it tomorrow night with the RiverDogs starter still to be announced.