By: RiverDogs Media
In a game filled with twists and turns, the Charleston RiverDogs earned the last laugh, emerging with an 11-9 victory over the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday evening at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. With the bases loaded in the eighth inning, Xavier Isaac lined a two-run single to right field to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead. The first baseman finished the night 3-5 with a home run and three RBI. The victory, in front of 3,673 fans, allowed the RiverDogs to move into a four-way tie for first place at the top of the Carolina League's south division.
The eighth inning began with the RiverDogs (8-7, 35-46) trailing 9-8. Ben Hernandez headed to the mound to begin his fourth frame on the hill. Julio Meza started the rally by hooking a double inside of the third base bag. That caused Columbia to go to the pen for Marcus Olivarez. The right-hander immediately walked the first two batters he faced, loading the bases with still nobody out. At that point, Isaac lined his game-winning hit to right field to score Meza and Chandler Simpson. The final run was added on a safety squeeze bunt from Jhon Diaz. Alex Cook retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to close out the win.
The RiverDogs jumped out to an early lead, courtesy of back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning. Isaac connected on the first, Ryan Spikes followed with the second on the very next pitch and Jhon Diaz made it three in a row with an opposite-field blast to left center. It was the first time three RiverDogs hitters homered consecutively since June 8, 2018.
Columbia (8-7, 43-37) answered back with two runs in the top of the third against Alex Ayala Jr. The inning began with a single and a walk to put two on base with no outs. A bunt single from Jean Ramirez loaded the bases and a wild pitch with Austin Charles at the plate allowed the first run to score for the Fireflies. Brett Squires pulled them one run closer with an RBI single to right later in the frame.
The home team rebuilt the lead with another three-spot, this time in the bottom of the third. Spikes and Diaz were at the center of the action once again. Simpson opened the inning with a single and advanced to third base on a pair of groundballs. Spikes pushed the lead to 4-2 with an RBI single and Diaz just missed his second home run in the next at-bat, settling for an RBI trouble. He scored on a balk to make it 6-2.
The Fireflies came to the plate in the fifth inning down by five. Charles trimmed that deficit by one with a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, Columbia came up with five consecutive two-out hits to score five runs and take the lead. Omar Hernandez tied the game with a two-run home run and Squires handed the visitors the lead with another RBI single.
That lead was short-lived as the RiverDogs bounced right back off the mat to even the score on Cooper Kinney's two-out RBI single in the last of the sixth. Levi Usher blasted a solo home run in the eighth inning to put Columbia on top one more time before the RiverDogs final comeback.
Simpson, Isaac and Spikes each finished with three hits. Isaac and Diaz were both responsible for three RBI. Simpson also stole three bases in the contest, raising his total to 64 on the season. That number is 12 more than the next closest player in Minor League Baseball.
Ayala did not factor in the decision, giving up two runs in 4.0 innings. Matt Wyatt followed out of the pen and was saddled with five runs on five hits in 1.2 innings. Jackson Lancaster worked 1.2 innings, surrendering two runs of his own. Cook blanked the Fireflies in 2.0 innings down the stretch to finish the game, earning the win in the process.
Ballpark Fun
The Sunday evening contest marked the final game for the RiverDogs in their home ballpark until July 25. However, there is quality baseball action taking place at The Joe later this week. The RiverDogs will host the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team on July 11th and 12th. Team USA will play Japan in the final two games of the 44th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on both nights. The two-game portion of the series hosted in Charleston is being presented by Gildan.
The RiverDogs will take four days off before resuming play on Friday in Kinston, NC against the Down East Wood Ducks. First pitch in that contest will be at 7:00 p.m.
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).
Charleston 11, Columbia 9 July 9, 2023
Click here for the box score
Win: Cook (2-2)
Loss: Olivarez (1-4)
HR: Columbia: Omar Hernandez (3, 6th inning, 1 on base), Levi Usher (2, 8th inning, 0 on base)
