RiverDogs Snap Fireflies Five-Game Win Streak
CHARLESTON, SC – Dash Winningham slammed his fourth home run in the last six days on Wednesday night, but Columbia fell to Charleston, 4-1. The three-game series between the Fireflies and RiverDogs is tied up at one game apiece.
Charleston (28-31, 70-58) scored the contest’s first run in the first frame. Kyle Holder led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Alex Palma speared a double down the left-field line to plate Holder.
Columbia (24-35, 60-69) starter Andrew Church (L, 5-2) cruised during innings two through six. The righty from Las Vegas, Nevada, allowed just four hits over his seven innings of work.
Winningham picked up his pitcher in the top of the seventh. The lefty slugger started the frame and faced a fresh arm in RiverDogs reliever Taylor Widener (W, 1-0). Winningham blasted a moonshot over the right-field fence to tie the score, 1-1. He now has 11 long balls this year, just one shy of matching his 2015 total (12) with the Kingsport Mets.
Charleston retook the lead in the home half of the seventh inning and never looked back. After Palma and Jhalan Jackson reached, Mandy Alvarez punched a run-scoring single. Then, with runners at second and third, Gosuke Katoh dropped a sacrifice bunt down the third-base line. Jackson slid in and scored easily, while Alvarez whipped in from second and just beat the throw from first base.
Newest Firefly Luis De Los Santos logged a scoreless inning of relief in his team debut.
On Thursday, right-hander Joe Shaw (7-9, 4.58) goes for his eighth win of the season and faces Charleston righty Luis Cedeno (7-8, 3.58). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
You can listen to the action on WGCV 620 AM and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app at 7:00 p.m.
