CHARLESTON, SC -
Shane Brown went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs to back up 5.0 strong innings from Brett Gerritse as the Charleston RiverDogs blanked the Asheville Tourists, 5-0, in South Atlantic League action Monday night in front of a crowd of 4,018 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
Charleston concluded the second half of the season at 29-41 and finished 55-85 overall, while Asheville dropped to 38-32 and 69-70.
Gerritse (1-0) and Asheville hurler Josh Slaats (7-3) hooked horns in a pitcher's duel in the season finale. The two pitchers matched each other zero-for-zero until the RiverDogs took advantage of a Tourists error to open the door for a three-run fifth frame.
Jose Mojica reached on a throwing error by newly inserted Asheville third baseman Helder Velazquez to start the frame, and scooted home when Jose Rosario beat out a potential double play ball. Jose Toussen followed with a walk to extend the rally, and Shane Brown smacked a soft liner into left field for a two-run single and a 3-0 Charleston advantage.
Gerritse was excellent in his first start of the year after making five relief appearances. The 20-year old scattered six hits over 5.0 shutout innings while racking up five strikeouts.
The RiverDogs pushed across two more markers to forge a 5-0 cushion in the bottom of the sixth. Mike Ferraro and Mojica delivered consecutive singles to start the frame, and raced plateward on Brown's two-run single down the left field line.
Slaats had enjoyed an outstanding second half of the season, but struggled on this night. Over six innings, the former Hawaii Warrior yielded the five runs on eight hits and three walks while managing to punch out eight batters.
Tommy Kahnle and Nathan Forer teamed to pen four scoreless frames of relief and put the finishing touches on the RiverDogs' sixth shutout of the year.
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