Fireflies Spoil RiverDogs Celebration with Early Fireworks
COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies bats rallied late, breaking a 2-2 tie in the seventh and ultimately winning 5-2 in Charleston Tuesday night as they began a six-game series with the RiverDogs. Austin Charles came up to the dish in the seventh and hit his first homer of the season
COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies bats rallied late, breaking a 2-2 tie in the seventh and ultimately winning 5-2 in Charleston Tuesday night as they began a six-game series with the RiverDogs.
Austin Charles came up to the dish in the seventh and hit his first homer of the season off the glove of Chandler Simpson and over the left-center fence to give Columbia a 3-2 lead.
In the eighth, Columbia got some insurance. After Omar Hernandez led the frame off with a single, Lizandro Rodriguez smoked a double to left to plate the catcher from first and double the Fireflies lead. In the ninth, Austin Charles came through again, tripling in the ninth and scoring on a two-out single to give the Fireflies their final run and a 5-2 lead.
Steven Zobac came out hot, retiring the first 12 batters he faced in order after a perfect first time through the order. In the fifth, he allowed a pair of runs, only one of which was earned before the bullpen came in to spin four scoreless frames.
Marcus Olivarez (W, 1-3) earned his first-career win, as he spun a scoreless sixth and seventh with three punchouts. Next, Ben Sears (S, 5) took the torch, setting down the next six RiverDogs in order. Sears didn’t allow the ball to leave the infield Tuesday night.
After a nearly two-hour rain delay to start the game, the Fireflies hopped on the board first without a hit. In the top of the second inning, RiverDogs starter Alex Ayala Jr. walked Omar Hernandez, hit Lizandro Rodriguez with a pitch and then walked the next three batters to push Columbia to a 2-0 lead out of the gates.
Columbia continues their series with the RiverDogs tomorrow night at 7:05 pm at Segra Park. RHP Ben Kudrna (4-3, 3.96 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Charleston elects to throw RHP Trevor Martin (3-4, 3.71 ERA).
The Fireflies return home after the All-Star Break, for a three-game series vs the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers July 14-16. The Fireflies have jammed that weekend filled with amazing promotions for our first-ever Dinosaur weekend. Ed’s Dinosaurs will bring animatronic, life-sized dinosaurs to Segra Park, we’ll have a dinosaur bobblehead giveaway Friday and on Saturday we’ll set off a wonderful fireworks show. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.