Olmsted, Gnats stifle RiverDogs

Noel Castillo pitched well enough to win Monday night for the Charleston RiverDogs, but sometimes a good effort isn't good enough.

The Savannah Sand Gnats got a better effort from their starter, Mike Olmsted, and prevailed 4-1 in front of a crowd of 2,373 at Riley Park.

"Castillo battles every time he's out there," Charleston manager Torre Tyson said. "He really didn't have his best stuff tonight. It's just kind of the way things have been going ... bloop hit, unfortunate play in the field and next thing you're down one or two runs and getting tight a little bit trying to come back."

Castillo pitched well enough, allowing two runs on six hits through five innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.

It was a good outing, but not good enough with Olmsted on the mound for Savannah.

Olmsted, making his first appearance with the Sand Gnats since getting called up from Kingsport of the Appalachian League, pitched five shutout innings, allowing three hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The RiverDogs (75-57, 30-32 South Atlantic League second half) never threatened against Olmsted, failing to get a runner in scoring position.

Charleston's chances weren't helped by the fact that the RiverDogs had played four games in two days, coming off doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.

"With all these doubleheaders, we need a starter to put things back in place as far as the bullpen goes," Tyson said. "Hopefully we can come out here and get back on track."

Castillo, winless in his last six starts, hasn't won a game since June 28 against the Sand Gnats, his only victory since the All-Star break.

Trailing 2-0, Charleston scored a run in the bottom of the sixth on Brandon Laird's one-out RBI double to left off reliever Stephen Puhl. Puhl retired the next two hitters on line drives to get out of the inning without further damage.

The Sand Gnats (59-71, 26-34) moved ahead 3-1 in the seventh on Casey Craig's run-scoring single and added a run in the ninth.

Coming up

The teams play again at 7:05 tonight. Mark Cohoon (1-3, 5.09 ERA) is the expected starter for the Sand Gnats, while the RiverDogs are expected to pitch Ryan Zink (2-2, 3.15).

The teams complete the series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday in the final home game of the season for the RiverDogs.