Riverdogs begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Lynchburg Hillcats.

RiverDogs Media

Kinston, NC - The Charleston RiverDogs closed a frustrating week on a positive note, shutting out the Down East Wood Ducks 4-0 on Sunday afternoon at Grainger Stadium. Santiago Suarez, Will Stevens and Adam Boucher combined to limit the Wood Ducks to just three hits. The shutout win was the team’s fifth of the season. Down East won four of the six games in the series.

The RiverDogs (26-36) went hitless for the first two innings but came alive in the third against Wood Ducks starter Kolton Curtis. Elis Barreat battled with two strikes, eventually lining a breaking ball into center field to start the inning. Carlos Colmenarez followed with a single of his own in the next at-bat. With two on base, Angel Mateo opened the scoring by driving an RBI double off the base of the left field wall. A walk by Jhon Diaz loaded the bases and Woo Shin followed with a fielder’s choice groundout to short that doubled the advantage to 2-0.

Suarez continued the trend of dominant performances by RiverDogs starting pitchers in the series. The 19-year-old tossed 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit on a double by Marcus Smith in the fifth. He struck out seven.

The lead was extended in the seventh against reliever Wilian Bormie. Adrian Santana started the inning by working a walk and advanced to second on a one-out single from Jhon Diaz. Bormie walked each of the next two hitters to force in a run and make it 3-0. Ricardo Gonzalez pushed that lead to 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.

The bullpen backed up Suarez’s strong effort, holding the Wood Ducks (34-28) off the board for the final four innings. Stevens entered first, tossing the sixth and seventh. Boucher worked the eighth and ninth, inducing a double play to finish the game.The RiverDogs outhit the Wood Ducks 7-3 in the contest. Colmenarez and Mateo each had two hits for Charleston. Marcus Smith provided two of the three hits for Down East.

The RiverDogs will take Monday off before returning to The Joe to begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Lynchburg Hillcats. RHP Chandler Murphy (1-1, 1.21) will start game one for the RiverDogs. LHP Alex Clemmey (1-3, 5.86) is scheduled to oppose him for the Hillcats. Bring your dog with you to the game for another Dog Day Tuesday presented by Twsited Tea!