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Charleston RiverDogs

RiverDogs Reel in Catfish

August 21, 2007 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston RiverDogs News Release


Four Charleston pitchers combined to limit Columbus to three hits as the RiverDogs blanked the Catfish, 3-0, for their second shutout in three days in South Atlantic League action Tuesday night in front of 3,333 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

Charleston opened the crucial three-game series against the Southern Division leaders with a win to improve to 33-24 in the season's second half and move within 2 ½ games of the Catfish in the standings. Columbus dipped to 35-21 and 76-50 overall.

RiverDogs starter Grant Duff (13-8) out-dueled Columbus' Jeremy Hellickson, one of the top arms in the SAL this season who entered the night 12-2 with a 2.69 ERA. Duff went five full innings and scattered two hits while walking only one and striking out two.

Bryan Villalona pitched two frames in relief and allowed one hit and fanned two while Stephen Artz pitched the eighth inning and allowed two bases on balls but no runs. All-Star closer Jonathan Hovis padded his league-leading mark of 26 saves when he threw a perfect ninth inning.

Charleston scored runs in the fourth, seventh and eighth innings in winning by shutout for the second time this homestand. On Sunday, the RiverDogs fired a 4-0, two-hit whitewash against the Augusta GreenJackets at Riley Park.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Seth Fortenberry singled to center and stole second base against Hellickson (12-3). Kevin Smith followed with a run-scoring single to left field.

Ryan Owen entered in relief in the seventh, and Josue Calzado singled and scored on Chase Odenreider's double to the right-center field gap. In the eighth, Smith doubled to left field and scored on Kyle Anson's RBI single to make the score 3-0.

Hellickson went six full innings and allowed one run on four hits. He walked three and fanned four, while Owen finished the final two stanzas and gave up two runs on four hits while issuing one base on balls.

Smith led the RiverDogs with a pair of hits as every position player reached base. For Columbus, John Matulia, Cesar Suarez and Nevin Ashley each posted a base hit.

The second of this three-game series is set for Wednesday night at 7:05 pm with righty Eric Hacker (8-2, 2.75 ERA) toeing the rubber for Charleston while righty Woods Fines (7-6, 4.41 ERA) is expected to go for Columbus.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 21, 2007


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