Fireflies Fall 6-3 to RiverDogs

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies surrendered six of the final eight runs scored as they fell to the Charleston RiverDogs for a third consecutive evening, 6-3, at Segra Park Thursday night.

Charleston was able to chip away at the Fireflies initial lead. Nathan Perry smashed a solo homer in the fifth to cut Columbia’s lead to 2-1, then in the sixth, Kenny Piper launched a two-run round-tripper with Ryan Spikes on first giving Charleston a 3-2 lead.

Alejandro Pie added some insurance in the seventh inning with an inside-the-park homer, his first homer of the season, that score Daiwer Castellanos and put Charleston in front 5-2. The RiverDogs added their final run in the seventh inning. Spikes led off the frame with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around on a single from Piper, who finished the game with three RBI.

Columbia scored their final run of the game in the seventh inning. David Hollie led the frame with a triple off the right field wall and then Levi Usher hit a sacrifice fly to left to drive in his third run of the game and to draw Columbia within a pair.

The Fireflies jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning. Javier Vaz and Gavin Cross set the table, singling and walking to put runners on first and second with one out for Cayden Wallace. During Wallace’s at-bat, starter Nick Bitsko tossed a wild pitch moving both runners a base forward and a single from Wallace scored both runners to put the Fireflies in front 2-0.

Ben Kudrna (L, 2-5) got the loss despite throwing his third quality start of the season, only surrendering a trio of runs across six innings for Columbia before giving the ball to Jack Aldrich who allowed three runs in as many innings out of the pen.

The Fireflies continue their series with the Charleston RiverDogs tomorrow night at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Ben Hernandez (1-6, 4.78 ERA) toes the rubber for the Fireflies and Charleston sends RHP Over Galue (11-2, 4.10 ERA) to the hill.

Tomorrow night is Grateful Dead Night at Segra Park! We’re all going to be grooving to maximum hipness as local cover band Stilhouse comes to the ballpark. The Fireflies will be wearing special Grateful Dead jerseys that will be auctioned off during the game and the first 1,000 fans through the gates will get a free Grateful Dead Fireflies t-shirt. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.