Columbia, SC - Four Charleston RiverDogs relievers combined to limit the Columbia Fireflies to four hits in a 3-1 win on Sunday evening at Segra Park. The RiverDogs won four of the seven games in the series and return to Charleston just four games out of first place in the south division standings.
The RiverDogs (17-21) got to work early with the bats, using extra-base hits to take the lead. Blake Robertson started his birthday on the right foot, giving the Dogs a 1-0 lead with a solo home run as the leadoff hitter in the second inning. It was his second round-tripper in the last two games. Angel Mateo and Odalys Peguero each pulled groundball doubles inside the third base bag in the fourth inning to make it 2-0.
The lead grew larger by one run in the top half of the fifth. With two outs, Narciso Polanco lofted a single into shallow center field. Adrian Santana followed with a bouncer to third that ricocheted off the chest of Jhonny Perdomo for an error. Mateo followed by legging out an infield single to second as Polanco crossed the plate to push the margin to 3-0.
Receiving his first professional start, left-hander Chris Villaman was fantastic on the mound to open a bullpen day for the RiverDogs. He worked 4.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts, extending his scoreless inning streak at the outset of his career to 11.0 innings. Dalton Fowler followed with a perfect fifth inning to maintain the lead.
Adam Boucher became the third pitcher to take the mound for Charleston when he entered to work the sixth. Boucher walked Jhonny Perdomo on four pitches to open the frame and the runner quickly took second. With one out, Daniel Vazquez dumped an RBI single to right and Columbia (19-18) was on the board.
Engert Garcia took over from there and earned his first win of the season by closing the night with 3.0 perfect innings. He induced five groundouts, struck out one and received some help on a diving catch by Cristopher Barete that ended the eighth inning.
The RiverDogs received two hits each from Polanco and Mateo to reach their total of seven on the day. Vazquez provided two of the Fireflies four knocks. Hunter Patteson allowed three runs in 4.2 innings after shutting out Charleston for 7.0 innings on Tuesday.
The RiverDogs will return to Charleston to begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. The meeting with the Down East Wood Ducks will be a rematch of the 2023 Carolina League Championship Series. RHP Gary Gill Hill (0-0, 2.70) will be on the mound for game one against a pitcher yet to be announced for Down East. Alongside Boeing, the RiverDogs will host the first of three Military Appreciation Nights on Tuesday, with military members and their families receiving free tickets by contacting the RiverDogs box office.
The RiverDogs continue their hunt for a fourth-consecutive Carolina League championship in 2024. The full schedule of games is available here.
Charleston 3, Columbia 1
May 19, 2024
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 3-7-1
Columbia (R-H-E): 1-4-2
Win: Garcia (1-1)
Loss: Patteson (2-3)
Save:
HR: Charleston: Blake Robertson (2, 2nd inning, 0 on base)
HR: Columbia: None
