Columbia, SC - Three Charleston RiverDogs pitchers combined to blank the Columbia Fireflies on the way to an 8-0 win on Friday night at Segra Park. The shutout victory was the team’s 14th of the season, moving them into a tie with the Down East Wood Ducks for the most in the Carolina League. Two games remain in the regular season.
Starting pitchers Santiago Suarez and Logan Martin dueled for the first 5.0 innings, avoiding many serious offensive threats. Martin allowed nothing on two hits and struck out three as he held the RiverDogs (40-23, 67-61) off the board through the first half of the game. Suarez was equally as impressive, striking out seven and allowing just two hits of his own in 5.0 scoreless frames. When the offense broke through in the sixth, it allowed Suarez to earn his seventh win of the campaign.
The offense did their damage in the sixth with some help from Columbia (33-31, 68-61). Emilien Pitre started the inning with an opposite field double off reliever Jesus Rios. He would go to third and then score the first run of the night on a pair of wild pitches. Connor Hujsak reached base on a fielding error by shortstop Daniel Vazquez and quickly stole second base. He advanced to third on a single by Jhon Diaz and eventually scored on Brady Marget’s fielder’s choice roller to second.
Pitre’s sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the seventh inning pushed the lead to 3-0 before a ninth inning explosion put the game away. The final frame began with a single from Narciso Polanco, who stole second. That allowed him to score on a booming double to the gap in right center off the bat of Pitre. Three consecutive singles from Theo Gillen, Diaz and Marget added two more runs. The margin grew to 8-0 when first baseman Callan Moss misplayed J.D. Gonzalez’s groundball which allowed two final runs to come home.
After Suarez, Gerlin Rosario continued his stellar work out of the bullpen with 3.0 strong innings. He allowed just one hit and whiffed three. Samuel Mejia closed out the shutout by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
Five different members of the RiverDogs lineup registered two hits. Pitre and Marget each drove in a pair. Columbia finished with just three singles on the evening.
The penultimate game of the regular season is slated for Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Trevor Harrison (2-0, 3.60) will make his final start of the campaign for the RiverDogs. Opposite Harrison, will be RHP Jonatan Bernal (1-4, 3.91) of the Fireflies.
The RiverDogs have qualified for the 2024 Carolina League postseason for a fourth year in a row. Tickets are available for the playoff opener on September 10 at riverdogs.com/tickets. For the lowest ticket prices, go directly to RiverDogs.com.
Charleston 8, Columbia 0
September 6, 2024
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 8-12-0
Columbia (R-H-E): 0-3-4
Win: Suarez (7-6)
Loss: Rios (1-4)
Save:
HR: Charleston: None
HR: Columbia: None
