RiverDogs GameDay Wednesday, August 25, 2021 ⚫ Game #98 SRP Park ⚫ North Augusta, SC ⚫ 7:05 p.m. Broadcast: MiLB.TV/Riverdogs.com Charleston RiverDogs (67-30) at Augusta GreenJackets (41-56) RHP Neraldo Catalina (2-0, 10.35) vs. RHP Ryan Cusick (0-0, 1.80) Tonight’s Game: The Charleston RiverDogs (affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) hit the road to open a 12-game road trip with six games against the Augusta GreenJackets (affiliate of the Atlanta Braves). Tonight’s game is the second in the final series between the division rivals this season. RiverDogs-GreenJackets Season Series in 2021: Overall: RiverDogs 20, GreenJackets 5. At SRP Park: GreenJackets 4, RiverDogs 3. Last Time Out: Augusta snapped a 15-game losing streak to the RiverDogs courtesy of a 6-3 win in the series-opener on Tuesday night. Each team scored a run in the opening inning with the RiverDogs run coming via an RBI single by Beau Brundage and Augusta’s via RBI groundout by Landon Stephens. Brundage gave the RiverDogs the lead right back via an RBI double in the third inning. The GreenJackets loaded the bases with three consecutive singles in the fifth inning and tied the game when Franklin Dacosta walked Vaughn Grissom to force in a Low-A East Standings run. Augusta took the lead moments later on a sacrifice fly by Willie Carter. The RiverDogs used a sacrifice fly of their own from Jonathan Embry to tie the game in the top of the seventh. North Division W-L GB However, the final three runs were scored by the GreenJackets with Grissom driving in the Salem 57-40 -- go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh and Justyn-Henry Malloy adding two more with a Delmarva 55-42 2.0 double in the eighth inning. Lynchburg 48-49 9.0 Promotions Aplenty: On Tuesday, Alika Williams and Ian Seymour received promotions to Fredericksburg 33-64 24.0 High-A Bowling Green. With the transfer of this pair of prospects, the RiverDogs have seen Central Division W-L GB 14 players promoted from their roster throughout the course of the 2021 season. Williams Carolina 60-37 -- departs with an 18-game hitting streak intact and Seymour struck out 28 batters over his last 14.0 innings of work. Down East 57-40 3.0 Fayetteville 44-53 16.0 Do You Believe in Magic?: With 22 games remaining in the regular season, the RiverDogs Kannapolis 27-70 33.0 magic number to clinch a South Division title is 4 and to clinch a playoff spot is 13. The magic number to secure the top seed in the championship series is 16. South Division W-L GB Charleston 67-30 -- Errors in Their Way: Despite their consistent performance at the plate and on the mound, Myrtle Beach 48-49 19.0 the RiverDogs defense has been an issue in the month of August. After committing one error Columbia 45-52 22.0 on Sunday, the RiverDogs have committed at least one defensive miscue in 21 of the last 23 games. In that span, they have committed 37 total errors. Those errors have resulted in 24 Augusta 41-56 26.0 unearned runs for the opponent. Divisional Dominance: The RiverDogs enter Wednesday’s contest with a 19.0 game lead in the South Division of the Low-A East. A large percentage of the 2021 schedule features games against divisional opponents and the RiverDogs have dominated the season series against each of them. The team is 16-8 against Myrtle Beach, 18-12 against Columbia and and 20-5 against Augusta. In total, the RiverDogs hold a 54- 25 record against their division rivals. Setting the Standard: Minor League Baseball in Charleston began in 1980. In the 40 years that make up the franchise’s history, the RiverDogs have only played in the league’s championship series on three occasions and have never won a title. Currently holding a .691 winning percentage, the best in MiLB, the 2021 RiverDogs are on pace to set a new team record in that category. The current high-water mark was set by the 1988 Charleston Rainbows who posted a .616 winning percentage. The RiverDogs will surpass that mark by finishing 8-14 or better. Loving the Long Ball: The home run has been a big part of the RiverDogs offensive success this season and they are receiving plenty of pop from multiple sources in the lineup. The RiverDogs lead the Low-A East and rank fourth in all of Low-A with 100 home runs this season. Heriberto Hernandez and Diego Infante have each hit 12 home runs to share the lead, Abiezel Ramirez has 9 and Nick Schnell has 8. The team is on pace to hit the most home runs in team history despite playing 20 fewer games this season. The franchise record for single-season home runs is 109 set by both the 2004 and 2008 squads. 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 #7. Outfielder/catcher Heriberto Hernandez is the most highly regarded position player at #10. The rest of the list is filled out by starting pitchers Seth Johnson (#12) and Sandy Gaston (#29), shortstop Osleivis Basabe (#20) and outfielder Nick Schnell (#30). Upcoming Schedule and Probable Pitchers Date Time Opponent Charleston Starter Opposing Starter Thursday, August 26 7:05 p.m. at Augusta RHP Sandy Gaston (0-0, 3.00) vs. RHP Andrew Hoffman (0-0, 5.63) Friday, August 27 7:05 p.m. at Augusta TBA vs. RHP Joey Estes (2-6, 2.84) Saturday, August 28 6:05 p.m. at Augusta TBA vs. TBA Sunday, August 29 5:05 p.m. at Augusta TBA vs. TBA TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER #31 BEN BRECHT Height: 6-7 Bats: L Birthdate: January 7, 1998 Acquired: 5th Round, 2019 Weight: 225 Throws: L College: UC Santa Barbara Birthplace: Evanston, IL Notes: Making 16th appearance of the season…activated from injured list on August 12…has worked 9.0 straight scoreless innings and allowed just 5 runs in last 31.0 innings of work…allowing a .202 batting average to opponents…made 10 appearances, 6 as a starter in Hudson Valley following the 2019 draft…went 2-0 with a 2.19 earned run average…struck out 23 batters while issuing just 4 walks…started all 16 games he pitched in during junior season at USCB in 2019 after splitting time between rotation and bullpen in first two years…in 2019, struck out 101 opposing hitters while issuing only 18 walks 90.0 innings…posted the lowest ERA on team among pitchers with at least 18.0 innings of work as a freshman…as a senior at New Trier High School, went 8-0 with a 0.31 ERA…high school career included two no-hitters and a 15-strikeout game…full name is Benjamin Nathan Brecht…grew up a Chicago Cubs fan…favorite athletes are Chris Sale and Rich Hill Career Stats 2021, Charleston RiverDogs (Low-A East League) 2021 Starter Totals: W-L: 19-17 3.16 ERA 381.1 IP 285 H 133 BB 447 K 163 R 134 ER 27 HR RIVERDOGS POSITION PLAYERS #9 Osleivis Basabe INF #15 Michael Berglund C 2021 Season Highs 2021 Season Highs Last Game: 2-5, run H: 3 (July 13 vs. Augusta) Last Game: 0-4 H: 2 (Multiple) Current Streak: 1 Current Streak: R: 3 (July 17 vs. AUG) R: 2 (Multiple) Longest Hit Streak: 7 Longest Hit Streak: 4 HR: HR: 1 (July 10 at Columbia) Last HR: August 14, 2018 vs. DSL Cubs Last HR: July 14 vs. Augusta This Series: 2-5, run RBI: 3 (July 15 vs. Augusta) This Series: 0-4 RBI: 3 (Multiple) vs. AUG: .294, 2B, 3 3B, 8 RBI, 8 SB, 2B: 1 (Multiple) vs. AUG: .086, 2 2B, 4 RBI, SB, SF, HBP, 2B: 1 (Multiple) HBP, 4 BB, 14 runs K: 3 (Multiple) 6 BB, 7 runs K: 3 (Multiple) Last Series: 6-16, 3 RBI, SB, SF, 5 BB, 5 BB: 2 (Multiple) Last Series: 4-11, RBI, HBP, 3 BB BB: 2 (July 3 at Kannapolis) runs • Has scored 6 runs in last 7 games • Missed all of 2019 with injury • T-6th in Low-East with 5 triples • Played 24 games in 2018 with GCL Rays; 2 w/ Hudson Valley and 1 w/Princeton • Acquired by the Rays in Nate Lowe trade this winter along with Heriberto • Hit .257 with 14 RBI in GCL; walked 24 times and struck out just 18 Hernandez and Alexander Ovalles • Selected in the 8th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Cisco College in Texas • Hit .325 in 35 games for Arizona League Rangers during 2019 season (7 steals) • Was committed to Arizona before signing with Rays • Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the #24 Rays prospect entering the season • In 2018 at Cisco, hit .387 with 11 home runs and 61 RBI in 58 games • Cousin of fellow Minor Leaguers Luis Alexander Basabe (Giants), Luis Alejandro • Transferred to Cisco after playing 2017 season at Texas Tech Basabe (Diamondbacks) and Olivier Basabe (Padres) • Named to 2017 All-Big 12 Freshman Team after hitting .307 in 49 starts at catcher #20 Beau Brundage OF #1 Jonathan Embry C 2021 Season Highs 2021 Season Highs Last Game: 0-3, RBI, SF Last Game: 3-4, 2 RBI H: 3 (August 24 at Augusta) H: 3 (Multiple) Current Streak: 1 Current Streak: R: 2 (Multiple) R: 3 (August 13 at Myrtle Beach) Longest Hit Streak: 5 Longest Hit Streak: 10 HR: 1 (Multiple) Last HR: August 19 vs.