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RiverDogs GameDay Tuesday, June 8, 2021 ⚫ Game #31 Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park ⚫ Charleston, SC ⚫ 7:05 p.m. Broadcast: MiLB.TV and Riverdogs.com Columbia Fireflies (18-11) at Charleston RiverDogs (18-12) LHP Rylan Kaufman (1-1, 6.60) vs. LHP Jose Lopez (2-2, 7.45) Tonight’s Game: The Charleston RiverDogs (affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) kick off a six-game homestand against the Columbia Fireflies (affiliate of the Kansas City Royals). This series is a battle between the two teams with the best records in the Low-A East South Division. RiverDogs-Fireflies Season Series in 2021: Overall: RiverDogs 3, Fireflies 3. At The Joe: RiverDogs 0, Fireflies 0. Last Time Out: The series finale in Augusta on Sunday afternoon featured plenty of offense. In the end, two costly errors led directly to five unearned GreenJackets runs in a 9-7 Augusta victory. The GreenJackets built a 9-2 lead entering the sixth inning, but the RiverDogs made a valiant comeback bid that ended with the tying run on base in the ninth. Hill Alexander hit a pair of home runs to start the rally and Abiezel Ramirez and Nick Schnell added solo home runs in the final three frames to draw the RiverDogs within two. In the final frame, the Low-A East Standings RiverDogs had two on with one out, but Osleivis Basabe grounded into a double play to end the game. The RiverDogs have split each of the first two series away from home this season. North Division W-L GB Delmarva 20-9 -- That’s Gross: Reliever Andrew Gross is enjoying an incredible stretch for the RiverDogs. Lynchburg 16-13 4.0 He has pitched 16.2 consecutive scoreless innings after his 1.0 scoreless inning on Sunday Salem 16-14 4.5 in Augusta. He is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA overall this season and has not allowed a run since his first appearance of the season. Fredericksburg 8-22 12.5 Central Division W-L GB Ten K Taj: The RiverDogs season-high for strikeouts by a pitcher in a single game is 10. Carolina 18-11 -- That number has been achieved twice by starter Taj Bradley, including on Saturday in Augusta when he fanned that number in 5.0 scoreless innings. The former fifth round draft Down East 18-11 1.0 choice of the Rays has picked up the win in each of his last three appearances. Fayetteville 12-17 6.0 Kannapolis 4-25 14.0 Zeroing In: Saturday’s 7-0 win represented the fifth shutout tossed by the RiverDogs pitching staff in 2021. The RiverDogs lead the Low-A East in shutouts and are currently tied for the South Division W-L GB Minor League Baseball lead with that total. No other team in the Low-A East has more than Columbia 18-11 -- three. Charleston 18-12 0.5 Myrtle Beach 15-14 3.0 White Out: Reliever Colby White has been nearly untouchable this season. The Mississippi State product has not yet allowed an earned run this season and has struck out 33 of the 57 Augusta 13-17 5.5 batters he has faced. White is currently sixth in the Low-A East in strikeouts, despite having pitched the fewest innings of any pitcher in the top 30 of that list. G’Days Mate: Australian Curtis Mead has been red-hot over the last few weeks. The third baseman has registered a hit in 17 of the last 19 games he has played in. Mead is batting .351 over that same span. Man of the Month: John Doxakis was named the Low-A East Pitcher of the Month for May on Wednesday by Minor League Baseball. On Sunday, the southpaw followed that up by being selected as the Tampa Bay Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Month as well. During the month of May he went 3-0 with a 0.82 earned run average. Doxakis struck out 33 opposing hitters with only three walks and limited the opposition to a .096 batting average. He has allowed multiple runs in only one of his six starts and has collected at least five strikeouts in every appearance. Alexander the Great: Alexander Ovalles put together the most impressive individual offensive performance in RiverDogs history on May 15th in Columbia. Entering the contest 1-24 on the season without a home run or RBI, he exploded for 3 home runs and collected 10 runs batted in as part of a 5-6 day at the plate. He became the first RiverDogs player to hit three home runs in the same game since Chris Gittens in 2016. Prized Pups: The RiverDogs roster contains eight members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Rays prospects. The highest ranked of that group is starting pitcher Cole Wilcox who came in at #9. Outfielder/catcher Heriberto Hernandez is the most highly regarded position player at #13. The rest of the list is filled out by starting pitchers Seth Johnson (#15), Taj Bradley (#21) and John Doxakis (#29), shortstops Osleivis Basabe (#24) and Alika Williams (#25) and outfielder Nick Schnell (#30). Upcoming Schedule and Probable Pitchers Date Time Opponent Charleston Starter Opposing Starter Wednesday, June 9 7:05 p.m. Columbia RHP Cole Wilcox (1-0, 1.67) vs. RHP Adrian Alcantara (2-2, 3.66) Thursday, June 10 7:05 p.m. Columbia TBA vs. RHP Delvin Capellan (1-1, 2.57) Friday, June 11 7:05 p.m. Columbia LHP Luis Moncada (0-0, 5.79) vs. RHP Matt Stil (2-1, 5.89) Saturday, June 12 6:05 p.m. Columbia RHP Taj Bradley (3-2, 3.28) vs. RHP Ben Hernandez (0-1, 3.86) Sunday, June 13 5:05 p.m. Columbia LHP Ben Brecht (0-2, 4.35) vs. LHP Rylan Kaufman TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER #24 JOSE LOPEZ Height: 6-1 Bats: L Birthdate: February 15, 1999 Acquired: International Free Agent, 2016 Weight: 200 Throws: L College: None Birthplace: Santo Domingo, DR Notes: Making fourth start of the season after beginning the year in the bullpen…has allowed three or more runs in three of five apeearances…surrendered six runs in 3.0 innings during last start against Fayetteville…made first two appearances in relief, allowing 6 runs in 7.1 innings…has collected 19 strikeouts in 19.1 innings…signed by the Rays as an international free agent in October of 2016… spent the 2019 season in Princeton, going 4-3 with a 2.54 ERA…struck out 55 in 49.2 innings of work…allowed just 21 hits in 38.0 innings of work in 2017 Dominican Summer League Career Stats 2021, Charleston, Low-A East 2021 Starter Totals: W-L: 7-8 3.80 ERA 116.0 IP 90 H 37 BB 140 K 57 R 49 ER 6 HR RIVERDOGS POSITION PLAYERS #8 Hill Alexander OF #9 Osleivis Basabe INF 2021 Season Highs 2021 Season Highs Last Game: H: 2 (Multiple) Last Game: 1-5, RBI, run H: 1 (Multiple) Current Streak: 1 Current Streak: 2 R: 2 (Multiple) R: 1 (June 6 at Augusta) Longest Hit Streak: 5 Longest Hit Streak: 2 HR: 2 (June 6 at Augusta) HR: Last HR: June 6 at Augusta (2) Last HR: August 14, 2018 vs. DSL Cubs This Series: RBI: 3 (May 30 vs. Fayetteville) This Series: RBI: 1 (June 6 at Augusta) vs. COL: .100, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, run 2B: 1 (Multiple) vs. COL: DNP 2B: Last Series: 4-11, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K: 3 (Multiple) Last Series: 2-8, RBI, run K: runs BB: 2 (June 3 at Augusta) BB: • Hitting .381 with 10 RBI and 7 runs scored in last 6 games • Added to the roster on June 4 • Threw a scoreless inning on the mound in lopsided loss on May 14 • Acquired by the Rays in Nate Lowe trade this winter along with Heriberto • Hit .264 with 41 RBI in 64 games with Hudson Valley in 2019 Hernandez and Alexander Ovalles • 28th round pick out of Lubbock Christian • Hit .325 in 35 games for Arizona League Rangers during 2019 season (7 steals) • Hit .411 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI in 52 games at DII Lubbock Christian in final • Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the #24 Rays prospect entering the season college season • Cousin of fellow Minor Leaguers Luis Alexander Basabe (Giants), Luis Alejandro • Previously played at Dallas Baptist (2018) and Midland College (2016-17) Basabe (Diamondbacks) and Olivier Basabe (Padres) • Hit school record 26 home runs for Midland College in 2016 campaign • Named NJCAA Division1 All-American and Heartland Conference Player of Year #1 Jonathan Embry C #11 Heriberto Hernandez OF/C 2021 Season Highs 2021 Season Highs Last Game: DNP H: 2 (Multiple) Last Game: 1-3, 2B, 2 BB H: 2 (Multiple) Current Streak: 4 Current Streak: 4 R: 2 (Multiple) R: 2 (Multiple) Longest Hit Streak: 4 Longest Hit Streak: 4 HR: 1 (Multiple) HR: 1 (Multiple) Last HR: May 30 vs. Fayetteville Last HR: May 11 at Columbia This Series: RBI: 2 (Multiple) This Series: RBI: 3 (May 7 vs. Myrtle Beach) vs. COL: .200, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, run 2B: 2 (June 2 at Augusta) vs. COL: .353, 3 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, SB, 2B: 1 (Multiple) Last Series: 4-7, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K: 2 (May 11 at Columbia) 5 runs K: 5 (May 20 vs. Down East) runs BB: 4 (May 20 vs.