By: RiverDogs Media
The Charleston RiverDogs won their fourth straight game, defeating the Columbia Fireflies 10-2 and coming within one out of a no-hitter on Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 3,492 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The RiverDogs (44-20) remain just one game back of Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League South Division with just two games to go in the first half.
Ben Peoples, Neraldo Catalina, and Kamron Fields combined to no-hit the Fireflies (18-46) through 8.2 innings, before an RBI base hit from Omar Florentino with two outs in the top of the ninth inning ended the bid. The three pitchers combined to strike out 12 batters and walk eight on the night. Peoples started and went 5.0 innings, striking out eight and walking five. He improved his record to 3-3 on the season. Catalina relieved Peoples in the sixth inning and went 2.0 innings, walking two and striking out two. Fields came in the eighth inning and allow two unearned runs in the ninth inning on two RiverDogs errors in the ninth inning as the combined no-hitter was lost.
The RiverDogs jumped out to a lead in the first inning thanks to three wild pitches from Columbia starter, Ben Kudrna (0-3). Ryan Spikes got the inning started with a single. After a walk from Carson Williams, both runners eventually came around to score on wild pitches.
The RiverDogs scored twice again in the bottom of the second inning. Luis Leon, Oneill Manzueta, and Spikes all singled to start the inning. Then, Carson Williams knocked in two runs with a single into left field to make it 4-0.
The RiverDogs put the game away in the bottom of the fourth inning, sending nine men to the plate and scoring five runs. After a Spikes single, Williams launched his team-leading ninth home run of the season to make it 6-0. After back-to-back walks to Nick Schnell and Willy Vasquez, Bobby Seymour hit a ball to first baseman Felix Familia, who threw the ball into left field, allowing Schnell to score. The ball also got past left fielder, River Town, allowing Vasquez to score as well to make it 8-0. A Leon RBI single scored Seymour and make it 9-0.
The RiverDogs scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning after Seymour and Shane Sasaki hit back-to-back doubles.
Each player in the RiverDogs lineup reached base safely. Fireflies pitching gave up a combined seven walks and 15 hits. Spikes and Williams each finished the night with three hits. Seymour, Sasaki, Leon, and Manzueta added two hits each. Leon extended his hitting streak to 13 games, the longest of the year for a RiverDogs hitter this year.
Ballpark Fun
The series continues on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP JJ Goss (0-4, 6.38) will take the baseball for the RiverDogs. LHP Frank Mozzicato (0-2, 5.94) will take the hill for the Fireflies. On a Wicked Wednesday presented by Wicked Weed, the grandstand ticket price will match the national average price of a gallon of gas at $5.01. Use code word PUMP at checkout. It’s also our Peanut-Free Game with Charleston Allergy and Asthma.
Single-game tickets are available for all RiverDogs home games at riverdogs.com. RiverDogs season tickets, flexible ticket plans, and group tickets, including options to the Segra Club at Riley Park, are available at riverdogs.com/tickets or by contacting the RiverDogs front office at 843-577-3647 (DOGS).
