RiverDogs Earn Series Split with 8-5 Victory over Columbia
The Charleston RiverDogs were unable to match Saturday's historic offensive performance, but the the bats remained hot enough to earn an 8-5 win over the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday evening at Segra Park. The RiverDogs scored six times in the first three innings of the game and seven of the
The Charleston RiverDogs were unable to match Saturday's historic offensive performance, but the the bats remained hot enough to earn an 8-5 win over the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday evening at Segra Park. The RiverDogs scored six times in the first three innings of the game and seven of the nine players in the lineup registered at least one hit. The teams split the six-game series 3-3.
Both squads plated a single run in the opening inning. Brett Wisely led off the game with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then promptly stole third base. Heriberto Hernandez wasted no time driving him in with an RBI single. The RiverDogs have scored in the first inning of five straight games. Columbia evened the score with Juan Carlos Negret's two-out single off of Cole Wilcox in the bottom half.
The second inning turned out to be the difference in a game that constantly featured runners on base. With two outs, Hill Alexander lined a triple off the glove of center fielder Tyler Tolbert to score Johan Lopez for a 2-1 lead. Wisely and Hernandez followed with back-to-back run-scoring doubles as the lead grew to 4-1.
The teams traded punches in the third inning as the RiverDogs (7-5) maintained a three-run advantage. In the top half of the frame, Abiezel Ramirez drove in a run via sacrifice fly and Alexander worked a walk with the bases loaded. In the bottom half, Columbia (6-6) answered with an RBI single from Brady McConnell and a sacrifice fly from Negret.
Each team scored two runs the rest of the way as the RiverDogs were able to keep Columbia at arm's length throughout the late innings. The Fireflies had an opportunity to pull closer in the sixth when they loaded the bases with one out, but Andrew Gross limited the damage by inducing a groundball before striking out McConnell to end the inning.
The final two innings featured much less drama thanks to the efforts of reliever Trevor Brigden. The right-hander struck out six of the seven batters that he faced on the way to earning his first save of the season. Wilcox worked 4.0 innings at the outset, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out five.
Wisely, Hernandez and Diego Infante each collected two hits as part of the RiverDogs ten hit effort. Hernandez, Infante and Alexander each drove in a pair of runs. Nick Schnell extended his hitting streak to six games. The RiverDogs have scored first in 11 of their 12 games this season.
The RiverDogs will open a 12-game homestand on Tuesday night when they host the Down East Wood Ducks in the opener of a six-game series at The Joe. The series will begin on a Dog Day presented by Island Coastal Lager. LHP Jose Lopez (1-1, 7.36) will make his first start of the season for the RiverDogs. He will be opposed by Down East RHP Abdiel Mendoza (0-0, 1.29)
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.