5 SERIES SEASONFROMMEMORABLEPREVIEWMOMENTSAMEMORABLE8 LEADING OFF BY THE NUMBER19
After clinching a spot in the playoffs with a two-game sweep against Myrtle Beach, the Charleston RiverDogs, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, are back in the cham pionship round for a second straight season.. Offensively, the RiverDogs lead the Carolina League with a .254 team batting average. Recently, they have been led by Shane Sasaki, the Player of the Month in August. The 2019 third-round pick out of Hawaii is a heavy leader in two categories; his .324 batting average is far and above the best in the league and his .497 slugging percentage also leads the league. On the mound, there are a number of guys that have helped the RiverDogs this season. LHP Antonio Jimenez has been a consistent starter in the RiverDogs rotation with a 3.74 ERA, third best in the Carolina League. Led by Blake Butera, the best team in minor league baseball is trying to finish their memorable season with another title.
The Charleston RiverDogs return to Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park for the final time in the 2022 season to face the Lynchburg Hillcats for the right to defend their crown from a year
an affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, were the North Division Cham pions of the Carolina League in the first half and have already clinched a spot in the playoffs. After defeating the Fredricksburg Nationals in three games in the North Division Championship, they look to knock off the RiverDogs this week.. In that series, they averaged almost eight runs per game. Omir Santos is in his first season as manager in Lynchburg. Santos spent last season as manager for the Dominican Summer League team.
Lynchburg,ago.
Behind 7-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Down East Wood Ducks, the RiverDogs pulled off another miraculous comeback. With one out and men at second and third, Alejandro Pie doubled to narrow the Wood Duck lead to two.
Austin Vernon was among the best in the Carolina League during his time in Charleston. In 15 appear ances for the RiverDogs this season, he was 9-1 with a 1.69 ERA. In the month of May, he was flawless. Through 20.1 innings pitched across five appearances, he was 4-0 with a 0.44 ERA and at one time, led the minor leagues in strikeouts, earning him Carolina League Player of the Month.
#3: July 30; Late-Inning Magic in the Holy City
4; Independence Day Miracle
#5: Vernon’s Dominant Month of May
Vernon gave up just one run the entire month, which came against the Delmarva Shorebirds on May 27. Though he gave up the run, do not let that fool you. That day, he was as dominant as ever. He went 5.0 in nings, giving up the one run on four hits and striking out a season-high 11 batters.
After a clean inning from Brayden Theriot, the RiverDogs were threatening again in the bottom of the
not have started out any worse for River Dogs as the GreenJackets immediately jumped out to a 7-0 lead, scoring in each of the first four innings. The RiverDogs could not get anything going until the bottom of the seventh inning.
After losing their first series of the season the week prior, the RiverDogs came back home to host the Augusta GreenJackets for their first home game on Fourth of July since Things2018.could
This season has been a special one for the defending champion Charleston RiverDogs. They have the best record in Minor League Baseball and have earned a spot in the playoffs for a second straight season.. There are numerous highlights from this year that fans can choose from, but here is a look at the top mo ments from the 2022 RiverDogs.
Though his time in Charleston was short, Vernon showed the Tampa Bay Rays organization why they made the right decision drafting him in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of North Carolina
This win was the largest come from behind win for the RiverDogs this season and started a run that has earned them the best record in all of Minor League Baseball.
Two batters later, down to his last strike, Shane Sasaki came through with an RBI single to keep the game going for Carson Williams. Williams, who was also down to his last strike, lined a ball into the gap and tied the game with an RBI triple to send it to extra innings.
#4:Central.July
For most of this game, the RiverDogs once again found themselves down entering the final innings, but like most of this season, this team did not stop fighting.
Down 7-4 with the bases loaded, Oneill Manzeuta came up to the plate. He got a fastball and smoked a fly ball off of the foul pole in left field to give the RiverDogs an 8-7 lead. The largest crowd of the season at 6, 415 went crazy as the RiverDogs completed the comeback. The lead expanded to 11-7, as the RiverDogs sent 12 men to the plate and scored 10 runs on six hits. They needed all 11 of those runs because the GreenJackets would not go away. They scored three runs in the final two innings and left the bases loaded in the ninth, giving the RiverDogs the narrow 11-10 victory.
He got the fastball on 0-2 and drilled it into right field just over the out-stretched arm of the right fielder to give the RiverDogs the walk-off victory.
Roel Garcia was fantastic on the mound, pitching the final 2.1 innings. He picked up the win, giving up just one hit and striking out three.
The regular season was one to remember for the RiverDogs, who look to make more memories in the 2022 season. The season starts over on Tuesday night, as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans look to upset the RiverDogs and earn a spot in the championship series.
With a first half playoff berth on the line, the RiverDogs found themselves behind 2-0 entering the bot tom of the ninth inning against the Columbia Fireflies.
Though the RiverDogs were unable to clinch a playoff berth that night, Leon’s home run will be remembered by many RiverDogs fans in attendance.
With Luis Leon coming to the plate, the Fireflies made a pitching change. On the first pitch after the change, Leon sent Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park into a frenzy with a walk-off two-run home run to keep the RiverDogs alive in the playoff race.
After both teams exchanged runs in the 10th inning, the RiverDogs got some help. Junior Caminero launched a two-run home run of his own to give the RiverDogs the lead. After that, Willy Vasquez and Brock Jones followed that up with solo home runs, giving the RiverDogs the win and a chance to defend their crown.
“I am just looking for a fastball again,” said Piper. “With two strikes, I am looking for something up and hard. He gave me that fastball and I did what I could with it to get the job done.”
tenth inning. With Spikes at second, Kenny Piper came to the plate with a walk-off in mind.
After the first two men struck out to begin the inning, the RiverDogs started a rally, as Bobby Seymour lined a double into the gap. Then, down to his last strike, Shane Sasaki lined a single into center field to cut the Firefly lead to 2-1.
After a game one victory against the Columbia Fireflies, the RiverDogs needed just one win to clinch a second half championship and a chance to play Myrtle Beach in the playoffs. While it took extra in nings to do so, the RiverDogs got it done with three home runs in the 11th inning to win 11-7.
#1: September 7: Ticket Punched Via Long Ball
#2: June 23; Leon Lifts the RiverDogs to Victory
Ahead 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the RiverDogs were one out away from victory, when the Fireflies tied the game with a two-run home run.
30
34
College
No. Pitchers (16)
25 Galue, Over R R 6'2 227 Santa Barbara, VEN 07/31/01 FCL Rays None Int. FA/2017
R
FA/2019 12 Robertson, Blake L R 6'5 200 San Antonio, TX 05/19/01 Cowley College Oklahoma 7th/2022 31 Seymour, Bobby L R 6'4 275 Harvey, IL 10/07/98 FCL Rays Wake Forest 13th/2021 9 Spikes, Ryan R R 5'9 198 Conyers, GA 03/13/03 FCL Rays None 3rd/2021 13 Vasquez, Willy R R 6'2 201 Santo Domingo, DR 09/06/01 FCL Rays None Int. FA/2019 7 Williams, Carson R R 6'2 185 San Diego, CA 06/25/03 FCL Rays None 1st/2021 No. Outfielders (5) B T Ht Wt Birthplace Birthdate 2021 Club(s) College Acquired 32 Allen, Logan R R 5'10 190 Bryant, AR 08/13/98 FCL Rays Arkansas-Fort Smith 14th/2019 1 Castellanos, Daiwer L R 5'11 155 Bejuma, VEN 08/16/00 FCL Rays None Int. FA/2018 5 Jones, Brock L L 6'0 197 Fresno, CA 03/28/01 Stanford Stanford 2nd/2022 17 Manzueta, Oneill R R 5'11 221 Santo Domingo, DR 02/07/01 FCL Rays None Int. FA/2018 6 Sasaki, Shane R R 6'0 168 Honolulu, HI 07/01/00 FCL Rays None 3rd/2019 No. Injured List (1) B T Ht Wt Birthplace Birthdate 2021 Club(s) College Acquired 5 Schnell, Nick L R 6'3 180 Indianapolis, IN 03/27/98 Charleston None 1st/2018 September 13 Charleston RiverDogs 2022 Roster Single-A Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays 3 • Blake Butera Manager 18 • R.C. Lichtenstein Pitching Coach 4 • Perry Roth Hitting Coach 36 • Frank Jagoda Bench Coach Ruben Santiago Athletic Trainer Mia Salvemini Strength and Conditioning Coach Steve Berhalter Clubhouse Manager Charleston RiverDogs 360 Fishburne St. • Charleston, SC 29403 Phone: 843.723.7241 • Fax: 843 723 2641 Email: admin@riverdogs.com Pronunciation Guide Junior Caminero (COM in air oh) Daiwer Castellanos (die were) Aneudy Cortorreal (ahn YOO dee cort OH ree ahl) Yoniel Curet (yuh knee EL KOO ret) Kamron Fields (Cameron) Over Galue (oh VAIR GAHL oo way) Sandy Gaston (SAHN dee GAH stone) R.C. Lichtenstein (lick tin stine) Oneill Manzueta (OH kneel MAHN zway tuh)
28 Perry, Nathan L R 6'2 207 Spencer, VA 07/07/99 Fayetteville (Astros) None
23
L L 5'10 158
35 Piper, Kenny R R 6'0 190 Florissant, MO 07/12/98 FCL Rays Columbia College 18th/2021 No. Infielders (6) B T Ht Wt Birthplace Birthdate 2021 Club(s) College Acquired 37 Caminero, Junior R R 5'11 155 Santo Domingo, DR 07/05/03 DSL Cleveland None
38 Curet, Yoniel R R 6'2 190 San Pedro de Macoris, DR 11/03/02 DSL Rays None Int. FA/2019
B T Ht Wt Birthplace
11 William, Junior R R 6'5 190 San Pedro de Macoris, DR 03/06/00 DSL
Acquired
20 Wilcox, Cole R R 6'4 245 Chattanooga,
24 Cortorreal, Aneudy R R 6'3 260 Santo Domingo, DR 12/13/99 FCL Rays
Birthdate 2021 Club(s)
10 Ayala Jr., Alex L L 6'2 205 Chiriqui, Panama 11/26/01 FCL Rays
33 Cuevas, Jonny R R 6'2 200 Indio, CA 11/20/00 FCL Rays
21 Goss, JJ R R 6'3 202 Houston, TX 12/25/00 FCL Rays None CBA/2019 Harney, Sean R 6'0 190 Boston, MA 07/10/98 Kentucky Kentucky 8th/2022 Jimenez, Antonio San Pedro de Macoris, DR 05/06/01 FCL Rays/Charleston None Int. FA/2018 Snyder, Jack R Chicago, IL 08/04/98 Schaumburg (Independent) Western Carolina UDFA/2022 Whittle, Daiveyon Fresno, CA 11/11/99 DNP - Injury Fresno City College 23rd/2018 TN 07/14/99 Charleston Georgia 3rd/2020 Rays None Int. FA/2021 08/01/00 Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt 4th/2022 5th/2017 Int.
27 Bitsko, Nick R R 6'4 225 Doylestown, PA 06/16/02 DNP - Injury None 1st/2020
Southern Nevada 12th/2021
39 Garcia, Roel R R 6'4 245 Clear Lake, TX 11/21/98 Rice University Rice 14th/2022
Florida Southwestern State 9th/2021
None Int. FA/2018
22 Fields, Kamron R R 6'3 202 Dallas, TX 09/24/98 FCL Rays Texas Southern 20th/2021
26 Gaston, Sandy R R 6'3 230 Matanzas, Cuba 12/16/01 FCL Rays/Charleston None Int. FA/2018
6'2 205
L
R R 6'1 235
29
No. Catchers (3) B T Ht Wt Birthplace Birthdate 2021 Club(s) College Acquired 2 Keegan, Dominic R R 6'0 210 Methuen, MA
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Hometown: Fresno, CA College: Acquired:StanfordSelected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the second round (65th overall) of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft
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Jones was added to the Charleston RiverDogs roster on August 23 of this year. Since then, the 21-year old from California has provided the RiverDogs with pop in the order as well a sure glove in the outfield. Prior to being selected by the Rays in this year’s MLB Draft, Jones was a two-sport athlete at Stanford, playing both baseball and football. As a member of the Cardinal baseball team, Jones was a two-time All-American in both 2021 and 2022. In 2021, he started all 56 regular season games for the Cardinal and led the Pac-12 in both home runs with 18 and RBI with 62 and helped lead his team to the College World Series. In 2022, he hit .324 with 21 home runs and 55 driven in and once again, led the Cardinal to a College World Series appearance. After signing with the Rays, Jones reported to the FCL, where in six games, he hit .211 and scored four runs. In a short amount of time with the RiverDogs, Jones has let his presence be known, in just 13 games, he is hitting .286 with four home runs and 12 RBI, highlighted by a two-home run game against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans back on September 3. If the RiverDogs want to repeat as champions, the outfielder from California will need to have a big series.
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Home runs the RiverDogs hit in the regular season, the most for any team in the Carolina League. The RiverDogs hit 14 in their final series of the regular season in Columbia, including three in the 11th inning in their playoff clinching win last Wednesday.
Winning percentage the RiverDogs have posted since becoming a Tampa Bay Rays affiliate prior to the 2021 season. That percentage is the best in Minor League Baseball during the span. Prior to becoming a Rays affiliate, the team’s all-time record, dating back to 1980, was 100 games under .500. That number has been reduced to 12 games under .500 by virtue of their recent success.
The RiverDogs set a new franchise record for wins in a single season this year with 88 victories in the 132-game regular season. The previ ous high was 85 set by the 1988 Charleston Rainbows.
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