Pena pitches Drive past RiverDogs

Miguel Pena pitched six solid innings for the Greenville Drive and got the win in his team’s 5-3 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs at Riley Park in front of 3,566 fans Saturday night.

It was the second straight loss for Charleston (44-33, 5-5).

Patience at the plate paid off for the Drive (40-40, 6-4) in the second inning when they drew three walks off starting pitcher Matt Bashore (1-2). Bryan Johns took advantage of the free passes with a two-run single to right. After a third run scored on an error, Cody Koback lined an RBI single to right, staking Pena to an early 4-0 lead.

The RiverDogs got a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Kelvin De Leon, but that was all Pena (5-4) would allow. Pena threw six innings and allowed just one run on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

RiverDogs reliever Nick Goody made his Charleston debut in the seventh. The former LSU closer pitched two scoreless innings and helped keep his team within striking distance.

In the seventh, Charleston pushed a run across against Tyler Wilson on consecutive doubles by Ali Castillo and Ben Gamel to close within 4-2, but Greenville went back up by three with a run in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Boss Moanaroa.

The RiverDogs got back within two in the ninth on another RBI double by Gamel.

Ballpark fun
Both teams were sporting the uniforms of their major league affiliates for the game to bring a little bit of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry to Charleston.

Coming up
Charleston RHP Will Oliver (2-3, 4.66 ERA) will start against Greenville RHP Noe Ramirez (0-0, 2.70 ERA) today beginning at 5:05 pm.