RiverDogs win fourth straight

RiverDogs 7, Crawdads 4

HICKORY, N.C. — Abraham Almonte and Wady Rufino each hit three-run home runs, and the Charleston RiverDogs completed a four-game sweep of the Hickory Crawdads with a 7-4 win in South Atlantic League play at L.P. Frans Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

Almonte, who had nine hits and seven RBIs in the four games, gave Charleston a 3-0 lead in the third inning when he connected off Crawdads starter Zac Oliver (0-1). Three innings later, Rufino made it 6-0 with his team-leading fifth home run of the season against Michael Felix.

The RiverDogs (24-8) hit eight home runs in the series and outscored Hickory (15-18) 28-11.

Charleston starter Lance Pendleton, a converted reliever, had his best outing of the season but was lifted one out shy of qualifying for the win. He allowed just one hit — a soft single — in 4 2/3 shutout innings. Craig Heyer (2-0) earned the victory, allowing three runs — one earned — in 2 1/3 innings.

A two-out error in the seventh by RiverDogs third baseman Brandon Laird set up Miles Durham's two-run single, cutting Charleston's lead to 6-3.

After Danny Cox's RBI single in the top of the eighth made it 7-3, Hickory threatened to tie the game in the bottom half. Danny Bomback drove in a run with a double, but Keanon Simon's bases-loaded drive to left was speared by Taylor Holiday to end the inning.

Jonathan Ortiz recorded the final four outs for his 10th save, most in the league.

The RiverDogs' road trip continues with four games in Asheville against the second-place Tourists, who entered Tuesday's action 1 1/2 games behind Charleston in the Southern Division.

In today's 7:05 p.m. series opener, Noel Castillo (3-2, 3.31 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the RiverDogs against Asheville's Connor Graham (4-2, 2.25), who has won his last four starts.

The RiverDogs lost all eight games at McCormick Field in 2007.