Charleston 3 - Columbia 1

Press Release:

CHARLESTON, SC – Fireflies infielder Gio Alfonzo smacked two base hits on Saturday, but Columbia fell to Charleston, 3-1. The Fireflies must winon Sunday to take three of four from the RiverDogs.

Alfonzo – the nephew of New York Mets great Edgardo Alfonzo – is now hitting .314 in 22 games this season. The 25-year-old has hit safely in six of his last seven games.  

Columbia (22-19) scored the game’s first run for a second straight night. In the second, Raphael Gladu doubled (and extended his hit streak to eight straight games in the process). Charleston (18-23) starter Alexander Vargas (W, 2-0) then spun and attempted to pick off Gladu at second. His throw caromed into centerfield and Gladu scurried to third. He later scored on a fielding error by shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera.

The Fireflies fell behind two innings later. Steven Sensley began the bottom of the fourth with a double against starter Anthony Kay (L, 1-2). Pablo Olivares later reached base on an error and the next hitter, Leo Molina, plated a run with a single. Kay retired Eduardo Navas, but then allowed a two-run single to Dalton Blaser. When the fourth inning was over, Columbia trailed, 3-1. All three runs that scored off Kay were unearned.

The visitors’ bats were quiet the rest of the game and the only other runs to score were in the bottom of the eighth. Navas and Blaser each knocked in a run.

The pitcher that followed Kay was Yeizo Campos out of the bullpen. The righty was impressive again on the mound and hurled two scoreless frames that included three strikeouts.