Fireflies Drop Back-and-Forth Contest 11-9

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies rallied, scoring six unanswered to take an 8-7 lead in the sixth inning, but ultimately fell 11-9 to the Charleston RiverDogs Sunday night at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park.

The difference came in the eighth. After a Julio Meza lead-off double, the Fireflies unraveled, walking a pair before allowing two hits and a sacrifice bunt to cede the lead and three runs, giving Charleston an 11-9 lead.

Columbia’s rally came to full fruition in the sixth. With two outs and Dionmy Salon at first, Levi Usher started the hit train. After Jean Ramirez cleared the bases with a single to cut Charleston’s lead to 7-5, Omar Hernandez ripped a homer to left to tie the game. After a pitching change, Austin Charles legged out a triple and came around on a Brett Squires single to give the Fireflies their first lead of the game.

In the top of the eighth, Usher laced his second homer of the year beyond the left field foul pole to give Columbia a 9-8 lead, but it ultimately wouldn’t hold.

The Fireflies started their rally in the top of the third. Roger Leyton started the inning with a single up the middle, then Levi Usher walked and Jean Ramirez bunted for a single to load the bases. Austin Charles struck out on a wild pitch that Leyton came around on to score the first run of the game for Columbia and then Brett Squires singled to right to plate Usher and bring the Fireflies within a run.

The Charleston RiverDogs opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back-to-back homers from Xavier Isaac, Ryan Spikes and Jhon Diaz to take a 3-0 lead. It was Spikes’ second homer in as many days in the first inning, as he gave the RiverDogs a 3-0 lead yesterday with a first-inning blast.

Columbia’s next game is this Friday at Segra Park after the conclusion of the All-Star Break. Columbia opens up their post-break schedule with a 7:05 pm tilt with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Both teams have yet to name their starters.

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.