Columbia, SC - Connor Hujsak’s two-run double in the bottom of the ninth sent the Charleston RiverDogs to a 3-2 win over the Columbia Fireflies and secured the team’s trip to the playoffs on Tuesday at Columbia’s Segra Park. That victory clinched the club’s third South Division second half title in a row. The RiverDogs followed with a 2-1 win in the nightcap to finish off a doubleheader sweep. The team has won eight straight games.
The bottom of the ninth in the opening game began with the RiverDogs (39-21, 66-59) down 2-0. Fireflies reliever Elvis Novas had to deal with the top of the order and immediately walked Narciso Polanco to begin the frame. Adrian Santana fell behind 0-2 quickly but managed to dump a shallow fly ball into left field for a single. Jhon Diaz also poked a single to left and the Dogs had the bases loaded with no outs. A groundball to third from Angel Mateo resulted in a force out at the plate and brought Hujsak to the dish. After a lengthy battle, Novas left a breaking ball over the plate and the left fielder collected the decisive two-bagger.
The contest was resumed from the point of suspension on July 14 in Charleston, when lightning and severe weather washed out the reminder of the contest. Columbia (31-30, 66-60) began with a 2-0 lead and runners on first and second in the top of the third. Hayden Snelsire took over on the mound and promptly walked the leadoff hitter to load the bases. The righthander rebounded to strike out Dionmy Salon and induced a pop up on the infield from Jhonny Perdomo to escape trouble.
From that point forward, the Dogs bullpen dominated the remainder of the contest. Snelsire went a season-high 3.2 innings with three strikeouts. Luis Hernandez followed and went 3.0 perfect innings with three strikeouts of his own. That performance earned him the win.
Hujsak finished the game, which was technically played two days before he was drafted by the Rays, 2-3 with a double and two runs batted in. He was the only player to register multiple hits in the game.
In the nightcap, the Fireflies jumped in front during a discombobulated innings for Drew Dowd. After the leadoff hitter was retired, Carter Frederick reached on a throwing error by third baseman Carlos Colmenarez. An errant pickoff move from Dowd pushed the runner to second and a pair of walks loaded the bases. A wild pitch gave Columbia a 1-0 lead before Dowd issued another free pass to load the bases again. The inning closed with a fly ball to center from Erick Torres. Dowd was solid the rest of the way, earning the win with 5.0 innings and just one unearned run allowed.
The Dogs entered the top of the fifth with a hit in every frame, but no runs to show for it. Ricardo Gonzalez opened the stanza with a sharp single up the middle and moved to second on a fielder’s choice groundout by Narciso Polanco. Theo Gillen walked and Emilien Pitre was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hujsak came up clutch again by ripping a two-run single through the left side to put the RiverDogs in front 2-1.
Samuel Mejia earned his fourth save of the season by tossing 2.0 scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh. He did not allow a hit. Columbia finished the night with just one hit in the contest.
Hujsak, Gonzalez and Colmenarez each closed the night with two hits for Charleston.
The series resumes on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Jose Urbina (0-0, 6.75) is scheduled to be on the mound for the RiverDogs in game three. RHP Josh Hansell (3-2, 2.73) will counter for Columbia.
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 2
September 3, 2024
Click here for the box score
Columbia (R-H-E): 2-7-0
Charleston (R-H-E): 3-5-1
Win: Hernandez (3-0)
Loss: Novas (0-2)
Save:
HR: Columbia: None
HR: Charleston: None
Charleston 2, Columbia 1 (7 innings)
Click here for the box score
Charleston (R-H-E): 2-7-2
Columbia (R-H-E): 1-1-0
Win: Dowd (7-6)
Loss: Martinez (1-1)
Save: Mejia (4)
HR: Charleston: None
HR: Columbia: None
