By: RiverDogs Media
Columbia, SC – The Charleston RiverDogs scored six runs on six hits in the third inning and rode that momentum to a 9-5 win over the Columbia Fireflies on Saturday night. Bryan Broecker hit his first career home run as part of the outburst. The RiverDogs guaranteed themselves a split of the six-game series with one to play.
The RiverDogs (25-15, 52-54) entered the top of the third facing a two-run deficit. Brayden Taylor and Cooper Kinney each singled on the first pitch of their at-bats and the frame began with two men on base. Xavier Isaac immediately cut the deficit in half with a groundball through the left side to plate Taylor. Jhon Diaz followed with a double that evened the score at 2-2 and left two in scoring position with one out. A single from Carlos Colmenarez handed the RiverDogs the lead. Finally, Bryan Broecker hammered his first professional home run, a three-run blast to left as the lead swelled to 6-2.
Charleston added to the advantage with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Taylor opened the fourth inning with a double and quickly came around to score on Isaac's base hit to the same spot in left field. In the fifth, a wild pitch allowed Broecker to cross the plate after he was hit by a pitch earlier in the frame.
The Fireflies (20-20, 55-50) cut their deficit in half with the help of several extra-base hits in the bottom of the eighth. Carson Roccaforte opened the inning by smacking a ball off the right field wall for a double. Two batters later, Austin Charles hooked a double down the third base line to trade places with Roccaforte. Brett Squires made the RiverDogs nervous by smacking a two-run home run over the right field wall for his second round-tripper of the evening. The big swing closed the margin to 8-5.
The RiverDogs collected an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Marcus Olivarez balked home Broecker from third after walking him to start the inning to push the lead to 9-5. Sommers worked a scoreless ninth inning to close the game.
Columbia initially jumped in front with two runs in the second inning against Trevor Martin. Squires began the inning with a solo home run to quickly hand the home team the lead. Martin walked the next batter, Trevor Werner, and the third baseman eventually scored on Roger Leyton's single to shallow right field with two outs.
Eight of the nine players in the RiverDogs lineup finished with at least one hit. Taylor, Isaac, Colmenarez and Ryan Cermak each collected two. Isaac drove in two runs ad now has at least one RBI in three straight games. Kinney pushed his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the third inning. Columbia registered nine hits, three of them from Squires.
The final meeting of the season between the two sides is scheduled for Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. LHP Alex Ayala Jr. (1-5, 4.27) comes back to make his second start of the week for Charleston. Meanwhile, RHP Mauricio Veliz (3-5, 5.04) will take his turn in the rotation for Columbia.
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 9, Columbia 5 August 12, 2023
Click here for the box score
Win: Martin (8-5)
Loss: Rayo (3-2)
HR: Charleston: Bryan Broecker (1, 3rd inning, 2 on base)
