MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - CHARLESTON, SC – Brandon Laird belted a two-run home run to cap a four-run fifth inning to lead the Charleston RiverDogs to a 9-3 come-from-behind victory over the Savannah Sand Gants in South Atlantic League action Wednesday night in front of 4,494 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

With the 4,494 fans at Wednesday’s game – the club’s last home game of the 2008 season – the RiverDogs drew a total of 279,606 fans, the second-best attendance record in Charleston professional baseball history (see chart below).

With the victory, Charleston avoids a three-game sweep and improves to 31-33 in the season’s second half and 76-58 overall while Savannah slips to 27-35 since the All-Star break and 60-72 on the season.

Laird had two hits to help lead the RiverDogs’ 10-hit attack, while Austin Romine had three.  Also enjoying multi-hit games were Bradley Suttle and Justin Snyder with two apiece.

Savannah pushed a pair of runs across in their first time at bat on a RBI single by Jefferies Tatford and another RBI single by Ralph Henriquez.

The Sand Gnats added their third run in the fifth on a Carlos Guzman RBI single.

But Charleston came back to take the lead for good with a four-run fifth inning.  With two outs, Romine got things started with a solo home run down the left field line that came on a 1-2 pitch from Rhiner Cruz (2-2) to cut Savannah’s lead to 3-1.

Jesus Montero then drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Bradley Suttle’s RBI double.  Laird then connected with his team-leading 21st home run, a two-run shot to left that came on a 3-2 offering from Cruz to give Charleston a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The RiverDogs added insurance runs in the seventh on a two-run double to right by Snyder and a RBI double to right by Abraham Almonte to increase the hosts’ lead to 8-3.

Suttle slammed a solo home run to right in the eighth for his 11th dinger of the season to conclude Charleston’s scoring.

Savannah recorded a dozen hits with Guzman leading the way with three.  Wilmer Flores and Henriquez each had a pair of knocks.

Charleston starter Lance Pendleton went 4.2 frames and allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out six.  He was relieved in the fifth by Stephen Artz (2-0), who threw 2.1 innings and scattered a pair of hits while striking out five Sand Gnats.

The RiverDogs begin their final road trip of the year by playing a two-game set at Rome beginning Thursday night.  Manager Torre Tyson has announced that righty Dellin Betances (8-4, 3.70 ERA) will get the call of Charleston while the Braves will counter with righty Erik Cordier (1-1, 3.68 ERA).

After the Rome series, Charleston concludes the ’08 campaign with three games at Savannah.

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