By: RiverDogs Media
The Charleston RiverDogs opened the second leg of their 12-game road trip by knocking off the Columbia Fireflies 6-3 on Tuesday night at Segra Park. Five of the team’s six runs were scored during a sixth inning rally. The RiverDogs improved to 6-1 on the trip after taking five of six from Kannapolis last week.
The RiverDogs (37-16) grabbed the early lead against Columbia starter Cruz Noriega in the second inning. Nick Schnell singled with one out and advanced into scoring position on a groundout from Johan Lopez. Abiezel Ramirez followed with his first run-producing hit of the game to put the RiverDogs ahead 1-0.
Taj Bradley cruised through three scoreless innings and had retired the first two batters in the fourth, when he made a mistake to Juan Carlos Negret. The right-hander left a 1-0 breaking ball over the plate, allowing the designated hitter to connect on his 11th home run of the season. The long ball evened the score at 1-1.
In the decisive sixth inning, the RiverDogs had six different hitters reach base, four of them via hit. Brett Wisely walked to begin the inning and advanced all the way to third on an errant pick-off attempt by reliever Chase Wallace. Diego Infante put the RiverDogs back in front with an RBI single. Heriberto Hernandez and Lopez also singled, with the latter driving in a second run. Ramirez then widened the gap to 6-1 with his sixth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left-center.
Columbia (27-24) managed to score single runs off of Audry Lugo in the sixth and seventh innings, but left runners on base at the end of each stanza. In the ninth, the Fireflies brought the tying run to the plate, but Matt Schmidt flew out to center to end the comeback bid.
Bradley earned his sixth victory of the season by working 5.0 innings and allowing just one run on two hits. He struck out four. Lugo struck out six in 2.0 innings of relief work, surrendering two runs. Theriot picked up his third save of the season by holding Columbia off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth innings while striking out four.
The RiverDogs ten-hit attack was paced by Ramirez who went 2-4 with a home run and four runs batted in. Alexander Ovalles and Alika Williams also collected two hits each. Catcher Kale Emshoff tallied two hits to lead the Fireflies.
The second installment of the series will take place on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. LHP Ian Seymour (0-0, 0.00) will make his second start for the RiverDogs. Columbia will counter with RHP Matt Stil (2-1, 5.86).
All RiverDogs games are broadcast worldwide on riverdogs.com. A television broadcast of all 60 home games during the 2021 season will also be available via MiLB.TV. Games are also available on the MiLB First Pitch app.
RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are now available for the 2021 campaign at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS). A full schedule for the 2021 season is available at riverdogs.com.
