Rare success attracts crowd

There's something strange happening in Charleston, and people are flocking to see it.

It's the distinct possibility the RiverDogs will play in the postseason for the first time since most of their players even dreamed of playing baseball, and the Charleston faithful are eating it up.

Charleston set a team attendance record Sunday when 2,521 pushed its season total to 244,576, breaking the mark of 242,143 set last season. Earlier this season the team set a single-game mark with 8,116 fans against Rome.

It's the fifth time in six years the 'Dogs have broken the record, thanks in large part to Mike Veeck's wacky promotions; see Vasectomy Night, Tonya Harding Mini Bat Night and Silent Night.

But this season is different.

The fans have a reason to show up at Joseph P. Riley Park: a good team with a legitimate chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 1988, when the team was called the Rainbows and affiliated with the San Diego Padres. The Rainbows lost to Spartanburg in the South Atlantic League championship series that season, meaning a Charleston team has not won a league title since 1948.

The last time a Charleston team had a winning record was in 2000, when the RiverDogs finished 73-66 and a guy named Josh Hamilton was one of the team's top prospects. That was the only season since 1988 a Charleston team finished above .500.

Entering Tuesday night's home game against the South Georgia Waves worrying about a winning record was the last thing on the 'Dogs' minds.

Charleston was 35-28 in the second half and 74-58 overall as they maintained a two-game lead over Rome in the Southern Division wild-card race with seven games remaining. Rome and Charleston finish the season against the same teams, South Georgia and Savannah, flip-flopping four-game series.

Part of the success can be attributed to a trio of outfielders (Elijah Dukes, Wes Bankston and Jason Pridie) recognized as some of the best in minor-league baseball and a stable of other players, including shortstop B.J. Upton (see note below), who sparked the team this season.

The team is fifth in the league with a .259 batting average and can generate runs with patience, a league-leading 519 walks leading to a third-best 626 runs.

If Charleston wins the wild card it would take on first-half winner Hickory in a best-of-three series beginning Sept. 3 in Charleston.

SPEAKING OF B.J.: Upton, the RiverDogs shortstop for the first half before being promoted to Double-A Orlando, was named the South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Prospect and was the only 'Dog voted to the league's season-ending All-Star team.

During his time in Charleston Upton hit .302 and stole 38 bases, though he often had trouble in the field, committing 39 errors in 92 games before his promotion.

SAVING GRACE: Durham's Lee Gardner pitched a scoreless ninth Thursday night, striking out one and allowing two hits, to set the Bulls save record.

Gardner's 28th save of the season broke Matt Byrd's mark, set in 1995 when Durham was part of the Carolina League.

Entering Tuesday night's games, Gardner led the International League with 29 saves, six more than Toledo's Fernando Rodney. Gardner signed a minor-league deal in February for a chance to remain with the team he signed with as a free agent in 1998. In April he set the Bulls career save mark in April and now has 60 over the past four seasons.

OUTSIDE SHOT AT PLAYING A LITTLE LONGER: Bakersfield still has the slightest of slight hopes for making the California League postseason. Entering Tuesday night's game at San Jose, the Blaze was 51/2 games behind Modesto for the final wild-card spot.

Bakersfield has only six more games to make up that margin. Some good news: Bakersfield is 11-9 against the Giants this season, including Monday's 7-6 win.