By: Riverdogs Media
The Charleston RiverDogs struggled in all three facets of the game in a 9-3 series-opening loss to the Columbia Fireflies on Tuesday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The game was played in front of 2,002 fans. The RiverDogs have now lost three consecutive games for the first time in the 2021 season.
The game was scoreless into the fifth inning when errors opened the door for Columbia to grab the lead. The frame began with back-to-back singles from Gage Hughes and Omar Hernandez to place runners on the corners with no outs. Seth Johnson came back to strike out Matt Schmidt for the first out.. The next batter, Diego Hernandez, put down a bunt in front of Johnson. With the runner holding at third, Johnson fired wildly to first and the ball sailed into foul ground to give the Fireflies a 1-0 lead. Darryl Collins made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Both runs were unearned.
In the sixth, the first two runners reached base against reliever Nomar Rojas. On another bunt back to the mound, this time from Gage Hughes, Rojas attempted to start a double play with a throw to second base. The RiverDogs took care of the runner at second, but the relay to first from Alika Williams was errant and allowed another unearned run to cross the plate.
The game turned heavily in favor of Columbia (43-46) in the seventh inning, a frame that began with RiverDogs pitching walking the first four batters. Three run-scoring singles followed in short order and a five-run inning allowed the lead to swell to 8-0. Another unearned run was put on the board by the Fireflies in the eight to make it 9-0.
Facing the prospects of being shutout for a fourth time, the RiverDogs awoke briefly in the final inning. Osleivis Basabe opened the inning with a single and Tanner Murray followed with a towering home run to left field, his second with the team. With two outs, Beau Brundage backed up a walk by Jonathan Embry with an RBI double. Those swings trimmed the deficit to 9-3, but it was not enough to change the outcome.
Johnson took the loss after allowing the two unearned runs in 4.2 innings of work. Rojas gave up four runs, three earned, in 1.1 innings out of the pen before handing the ball to Graeme Stinson who surrendered three runs, two earned, in 2.0 innings. Steffon Moore worked a scoreless ninth inning for his third consecutive scoreless appearance.
Basabe, Murray and Alexander Ovalles each finished with two hits to pace the RiverDogs. Williams singled on the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, matching Curtis Mead for the longest streak of the season for a RiverDogs player.
Ballpark Fun
The RiverDogs and Fireflies will play two, seven-inning games as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday night. The first pitch for game one is set for 5:05 p.m. with the nightcap beginning approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. The RiverDogs will throw LHP Ben Brecht (3-2, 3.10) in the game one and LHP Franklin Dacosta (2-0, 1.60) in game two. Meanwhile, Columbia will the ball to LHP Emilio Marquez (6-1, 1.53) in the opener and RHP Heribert Garcia (0-0, 5.40) in the second game. The RiverDogs will wear Charleston Rainbows uniforms during game two and those jerseys will be auctioned off following the game with proceeds benefitting Charleston Pride.
Playoff tickets for the Low-A East Championship Series in September are on sale now at riverdogs.com. For a limited time, fans who purchase tickets to the team’s first home playoff game will receive all subsequent home games for free. Purchase playoff tickets here.
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.
