The Fireflies jumped out to an early 6-0 lead on Saturday and went on to defeat the Riverdogs, 8-4, at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. The top of Columbia’s batting order was electric. The first five hitters all tallied at least two hits – including J.C. Rodriguez’s 4-for-5 night at the plate. The switch-hitter also scored two runs, blasted two doubles and knocked in a pair of runs.
Starter Joe Shaw (W, 3-2) out-dueled his counterpart Yefrey Ramirez (L, 1-1). While the Charleston (26-15) righty lasted just 3.1 innings, Shaw turned in seven marvelous frames of work, striking out a career-high 10 batters. Shaw has punched out seven or more in four starts this year.
Columbia (21-21) scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Vinny Siena and Rodriguez cracked back-to-back hits and Siena then scored from third base on a wild pitch. Milton Ramos drove home Rodriguez with a single.
The lead doubled to 4-0 in the top of the third when Ivan Wilson slammed his fourth home run of the season over the left-field foul pole.
The Fireflies weren’t done in the fourth. After Kevin Kaczmarski and Siena both reached with base hits, Rodriguez drove in a run with a single as well. Ramos then plated another with a sacrifice fly.
The RiverDogs scratched runs across in the fourth and fifth frames, but the visitors answered back in the top of the sixth. A pair of RBI doubles from Rodriguez and Ramos extended the lead to 8-2.
Conner Spencer and Kendall Coleman knocked in runs in the bottom of the eighth but it wasn’t enough to muster a comeback. Johnny Magliozzi (S, 3) pitched a scoreless inning and a third in relief to close the game out.
The series finale against Charleston is at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday. Right-hander Chase Ingram (3-2, 3.00) toes the rubber for Manager Jose Leger and faces RiverDogs righty Daris Vargas (3-0, 2.05).
Press Release
Pat Mazelka on base 10 times in his first 4 games. He has a .460 career on base %. Can his sidekick Kaczmarski be another Nimmo?
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