By: RiverDogs Media
Columbia, SC- Brock Jones broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run home run in the top of the tenth inning and Roel Garcia stranded the tying run on third base in the bottom half as the Charleston RiverDogs won their fifth straight against the Columbia Fireflies at Segra Park on Saturday. One game remains in the regular season.
When the extra frame began, neither team had scored since the fifth. Oneill Manzueta began the inning at second base but had only moved to third with two outs. Jones then turned on the first pitch from Ben Wereski to blast the difference-making home run. The long ball was his second of the series and fourth on the season.
In the bottom of the frame, Roel Garcia allowed a single to Guillermo Quintana to start the inning. David Hollie struck out in the next at-bat before Daniel Vazquez walked with the fourth ball heading to the backstop for a wild pitch that allowed a run to score. With the tying run on third and the winning run at second, Garcia induced Kyle Hayes into an infield pop-up and then struck out Dayton Dooney to end the game.
RiverDogs (42-23, 88-43) right-hander Yoniel Curet was dominant for the first 3.0 innings in his second appearance with the team. However, Columbia (33-31, 51-79) got to him in the fourth. The inning began with three consecutive hits as the Fireflies moved in front 1-0. A single and hit batter allowed the bases to become loaded and Curet issued a walk to Dayton Dooney, forcing in a second run. With the bases still loaded, Jonny Cuevas entered from the bullpen and retired the next two hitters to escape further trouble.
Having been held without a hit by Shane Panzini through the first four innings, the RiverDogs bats awoke in the fifth. Blake Robertson and Daiwer Castellanos began the inning with back-to-back singles. A third single, from Brock Jones, scored Robertson to cut the deficit in half and chase Panzini from the game. Ben Sears entered and retired the next three hitters, but a groundball from Carson Williams evened the score.
The RiverDogs were outhit 10-4 in the game with only Brock Jones having multiple knocks for the visitors. Meanwhile, Columbia received three hits each from Cayden Wallace and Quintana.
In order for the game to reach extra-innings, Oneill Manzueta saved the day by throwing out Jean Ramirez at the plate as he tried to score the winning run in the bottom ninth on a single by Gavin Cross.
Garcia picked up the win, allowing only an unearned run on one hit in 1.1 innings. Jack Snyder tossed 1.2 innings scoreless with a pair of strikouts. Cuevas worked a bulk of the innings before and after a 48-minute rain delay. He did not surrender a run 3.2 innings of work, scattering three hits.
The regular season finale is set for 5:05 p.m on Sunday evening. RHP Cole Wilcox (0-1, 3.38) will make his second start of the series on the mound for Charleston. Columbia will hand the ball to RHP Luinder Avila (6-10, 4.54) to close out the series.
Tickets for the RiverDogs first playoff game on Tuesday, September 13 are on sale now. They are buy one, get one free. The first 1,500 fans will receive a playoff t-shirt and $1 beers will be available throughtout the ballpark. 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).
