Paulino Walks off Fireflies 5-4 on Saturday Night
Enzo Paulino smashed a ball toward second baseman Jhonny Perdomo and the resulting carom allowed the winning run to race home from third as the Charleston RiverDogs walked off the Columbia Fireflies 5-4 on Saturday night. It was the RiverDogs third win in their final at-bat this season and second
Enzo Paulino smashed a ball toward second baseman Jhonny Perdomo and the resulting carom allowed the winning run to race home from third as the Charleston RiverDogs walked off the Columbia Fireflies 5-4 on Saturday night. It was the RiverDogs third win in their final at-bat this season and second of the homestand. A crowd of 4,343 celebrated alongside the team at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
The game was tied entering the last of the ninth. Raudelis Martinez started the frame with a walk but was forced out on Odalys Peguero’s groundball to short. The swap in baserunners proved crucial to the result. Peguero, who has not been caught stealing this season, swiped both second and third base off Elvis Novas to put the winning run at third. Paulino came to the plate and fell behind in the count before making hard contact on a breaking ball to drive in the decisive run.
The RiverDogs (14-6, 41-44) pushed a run across in the very first inning. Narciso Polanco opened the game with a walk and moved all the way to third on Adrian Santana’s single. With one out, Santana stole second and Polanco crossed the plate on an ensuing throwing error from catcher Blake Mitchell.
Columbia (10-9, 45-38) took a bit to jump start their offense but jumped in front with a crooked number in the fourth inning. Austin Charles began the attack with a triple to the gap in left center and was joined on base when Derlin Figueroa walked. Hyunchan Um evened the score with a single back up the middle. Aldrin Lucas drove in one run with a base hit to right field and a second run scored on an errant throw from outfielder Jhon Diaz to make it 3-1. A pair of doubles from the tandem of Charles and Figueroa added a run to the lead in the top of the fifth.
Charleston used the long ball to climb right back to a stalemate in the bottom of the fifth. Paulino collected his first big hit of the night by driving a solo home run over the right field wall for his first home run. The next batter, Ricardo Gonzalez, was hit by a pitch and Polanco tied the game with another home run, this one a line drive that carried over the wall in right. The shortstop’s third of the year tied the game 4-4.
Alexander Alberto continued his dominant work for the RiverDogs, earning the win with 2.0 perfect innings to finish the game. Trevor Harrison struck out six over 4.0 innings in his second start in the Holy City. He allowed three runs, two of them earned. Gerlin Rosario surrendered only one run in 3.0 innings out of the pen while whiffing four.
The hit column was even at seven. Santana and Paulino each finished with two hits for the RiverDogs. Columbia was paced by Charles in a 3-4 showing with two extra-base hits and two runs scored.
Ballpark Fun
The RiverDogs wore special parrot-themed uniforms on Margaritaville Night Saturday evening. Those festive jerseys were auctioned to fans following the team’s celebration of the dramatic win on the field. Jimmy Buffet, who was honored throughout the evening, was a former minority owner of the RiverDogs.
The series wraps up with the final game before the all-star break on Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. RHP Santiago Suarez (5-5, 4.25) will start on the bump for the home team. Columbia will run RHP Logan Martin (1-3, 4.25) out to the mound for the second time in the series. The RiverDogs will play as Los Perros Santos and celebrate Latin music during the game.