Long Balls Lead Columbia to 11-6 Win over Dogs

The Columbia Fireflies slugged three home runs on the way to their first win of the series, beating the Charleston RiverDogs 11-6 on Thursday night at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. The loss ended the RiverDogs eight-game winning streak and was their first defeat in the month of July. The game was played in front of 3,576 fans.

Columbia (10-7, 45-36) took their first lead of the series in the top of the first inning, jumping on RiverDogs starter Gary Gill Hill early. Erick Torres and Blake Mitchell began the night with consecutive singles. Derlin Figueroa put down a sacrifice bunt to push a pair into scoring position. Austin Charles followed with a single to center that gave Columbia a 1-0 advantage, but Noah Myers cut down a second runner trying to score on the play. Charles had moved to second on the throw to the plate, allowing him to score on an ensuing RBI double from Dionmy Salon.

Carlos Colmenarez put the RiverDogs (12-6, 39-44) on the board with the first pitch of the second inning. He turned around a fastball for his first home run of the season as the ball caromed off the batter’s eye in center field.

The Fireflies took a large step toward victory by hanging a six-spot on Gill Hill in the third, eventually chasing him from the game. Mittchell launched his 12^th home run of the season over the video board in right center to push the margin back to two runs. Gill Hill walked the next batter, only for Charles to follow with his seventh long ball of the campaign. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Aldrin Lucas, who yanked a three-run double to the left field corner that pushed the gap to 8-1.

The home team bounced off the mat a bit in the bottom half of the third. The first three batters of the stanza singled, with Angel Mateo’s driving in two runs. Colmenarez added an RBI single two batters later to cut the deficit to 8-4. The RiverDogs loaded the bases with one out later in the contest but fouled out twice as the inning flamed out.

Jhonny Perdomo’s three-run home run with two outs in the fourth sealed the RiverDogs fate. The round-tripper followed two walks from Luis Hernandez that inning and gave Columbia an 11-4 advantage. Charleston managed single runs in the fourth and eighth innings, once again leaving the bases loaded in the latter.

Seven Fireflies collected at least one hit as the club closed the night with 13. Charles and Perdomo each led the way with three hits and three RBI. Mitchell and Salon each finished with two hits. The RiverDogs tallied 10 hits of their own, led by three from Narciso Polanco at the top of the lineup. Myers and Colmenarez each added a pair.

Gill Hill allowed eight runs on nine hits over 2.1 innings while suffering his first loss of the season. Hernandez was charged with three runs in 1.2 innings. From that point forward, Seth Chavez, Dalton Fowler, Cade Halemanu and position player Elis Barreat shut down the Fireflies over the final 5.0 innings. Halemanu exited the game after being hit in the head by a line drive. He walked off the field under his own power.

Ballpark Fun

The RiverDogs hosted another Thirsty Thursday at The Joe thanks to Budweiser. DJ DollaMenu once again entertained fans by providing a clublike atmosphere in the Ashley View Pub. Fans took in the game while enjoying $1 beers throughout the ballpark.

The RiverDogs will attempt to enter the win column again on Friday night with LHP Chris Villaman (5-1, 1.98) set to toe the rubber first. Columbia will counter with RHP Emmanuel Reyes (4-2, 3.69). Fireworks, presented by REV Federal Credit Union, will follow the game. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.