Larry Martinez's walk-off single capped off a two-run bottom of the ninth inning for the Charleston RiverDogs as they picked up a second consecutive walk-off win over the Hickory Crawdads, winning 4-3 on Aug. 15 in front of 5,019 fans at Riley Park.
The win is Charleston's third straight, all decided by one run. The RiverDogs are now 59-50, 24-19 in the second half.
The Crawdads scratched across the first run of the ballgame in the first inning. With two outs, Paxton Kling doubled and Braylin Morel singled to make it 1-0 Hickory.
The RiverDogs responded in the bottom half of the first, putting up two runs.
Brendan Summerhill and James Quinn-Irons both worked walks to put runners on first and second. Aidan Deakins threw a wild pitch off the backstop at the same time Summerhill was stealing third, and he did not stop running before sliding into home to tie the game at one. Narciso Polanco dribbled a soft grounder to first base, but Deakins could not cover the base in time, allowing Quinn-Irons to score from third for the second run.
In the fourth inning, Hickory grabbed the lead again.
Morel singled to start the rally, and Marcos Torres finished it. He crushed a 107 MPH home run to one of the deepest parts of center field, placing the Crawdads on top 3-2.
Jacob Kmatz tossed a 1-2-3 fifth inning to end his outing. He allowed three runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Bryce Shaffer entered and delivered three scoreless frames to keep the RiverDogs within striking distance. On the other side, Aneudis Mejia hurled four hitless innings to hold the RiverDogs offense in check from the fifth through the eighth.
As Mejia exited, Charleston stormed back and walked it off in the ninth.
Polanco flared a double to start the inning, and Mejia balked to send him to third with no outs. Tom Poole, in his first game with the team, lined a single through the drawn-in Crawdads infield to notch the score at 3.
Alberth Palma worked a walk, setting up runners on first and second for Martinez. After showing bunt on the first pitch, he ripped a single into left field. Poole sprinted home, and Maxton Martin's throw from left field was too high, sparking the RiverDogs into a mob scene behind first base.
Ballpark fun
It was Fireworks Friday, and a special Stand Up To Cancer tribute took place during the fourth inning as fans and staff held signs honoring loved ones affected by cancer in a moment of collective silence to show solidarity in the fight against it. Earlier in the night, the crowd enjoyed a fan favorite segment known as the Oblivious Cam, drawing plenty of laughs as unsuspecting fans failed to find themselves on the videoboard.
Coming up
The series continues Aug. 16 at 6:05 pm with the start of Larry Doby Weekend, a celebration of the South Carolinian who broke the American League color barrier in 1947. On Sunday, Doby Weekend continues as the RiverDogs celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Cannon Street All-Stars Little League team. Members of the team will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony, and the RiverDogs will don special Cannon Street All-Stars jerseys for the game. Additionally, it's MUSC Family Sunday, meaning parking is free and kids run the bases postgame.
Tickets are available at RiverDogs.com For an upgraded experience, tickets to the inclusive, air-conditioned Segra Club are available.