Five-Run Sixth Propels Fireflies to 68th Win
Columbia, SC – The Fireflies walked a tight-rope with the Charleston RiverDogs but came out on top 7-6 thanks to a five-run sixth inning. The win was the Fireflies 68th win of the season, which is tied with the 2017 Fireflies for the most in a single season in franchise
Columbia, SC – The Fireflies walked a tight-rope with the Charleston RiverDogs but came out on top 7-6 thanks to a five-run sixth inning. The win was the Fireflies 68th win of the season, which is tied with the 2017 Fireflies for the most in a single season in franchise history.
The difference maker came in the sixth for Columbia. After Cade Halemanu (L, 2-2) started the inning with a strikeout, he walked Daniel Vazquez on back-to-back pitches before surrendering back-to-back singles to Derlin Figueroa and Austin Charles. Vazquez scored on Charles’ single to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of Charleston. Next, Hyungchan Um grounded into a fielder’s choice, but on a throwing error from Jose Perez, Figueroa and Charles scored to flip the script and give Columbia a 4-3 lead.
After a Brennon McNair sacrifice fly doubled Columbia’s lead, the next two Fireflies runs came around on two of four wild pitches that Alexander Alberto offered to Columbia across 1.2 innings.
Charleston got on the board first Thursday. After Hiro Wyatt walked Emilien Pitre, Connor Hujsak mashed a homer to the right field lawn to push Charleston in front 2-0.
After that, Wyatt shut the door, as he worked five two-hit innings to get the ball to the bullpen. Mason Miller (W, 1-1) allowed three runs in 2.2 innings as he kept the Fireflies in front before passing things to Zachary Cawyer (S, 1). The TCU product allowed one run in 1.1 innings before locking down his first professional save.
Hujsak gave the RiverDogs some insurance again in the sixth inning as he mashed his second homer of the game to right-center, giving Charleston a 3-1 lead. He wasn’t done there though. The left fielder mashed a no-doubter for his third homer of the night in the top of the eighth to bring Charleston within a pair. Hujsak is the first RiverDogs player to homer three times in a game since Alexander Ovalles did so at Segra Park in 2021.
Derlin Figueroa cut into Charleston’s lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. The lefty slugged his third homer in the last two games and his 13th of the season to make it a 2-1 game. He’s the first Fireflies player to homer in back-to-back games since Blake Mitchell accomplished the feat May 20 and May 23 agaisnt Fredericksburg and Charleston.
The Fireflies continue their series with the Charleston RiverDogs tomorrow night at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Logan Martin (4-3, 3.88 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP Santiago Suarez (6-6, 4.23 ERA).
Tomorrow is Grateful Dead Night presented by The Howling Dog Collective at Segra Park. Come on out and enjoy the grooviest night of the season! We’ll have Grateful Dead T-Shirts for the first 1,000 fans in attendance and a live Grateful Dead Tribute band performing until 8 pm. We’ll also have a drum circle and after the game a special double fireworks show. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.