Fireflies Win Season-High Fifth in a Row
CHARLESTON, SC – The Fireflies shut out the RiverDogs, 5-0, on Tuesday night, the club’s fourth shut-out victory in just 12 days. After sweeping the Augusta GreenJackets in a four-game series over the weekend, Columbia has now won a season-high five games in a row.
Kevin Canelon (W, 6-10) led the way in the Fireflies’ eighth overall shutout of the season. The lefty tossed seven splendid innings and allowed just two hits – both off of Ricardo Ferreira’s bat. Canelon struck out five and lowered his ERA to 3.32. He’s now recorded 16 quality starts in 23 outings in 2016.
Dash Winningham blasted a monster home run over the right-field wall to get things started against Christian Morris (L, 8-5) in the second inning. It was Winningham’s third homer in the last five days and team-best 10th overall.
Columbia (24-34, 60-68) added another run thanks to some Charleston (27-31, 69-58) mistakes in the following frame. Enmanuel Zabala led off the third and booted a ground ball to RiverDogs short stop Kyle Holder. The Yankees prospect hurled a wild throw to first base, enabling Zabala to reach safely. J.C. Rodriguez’s single moved Zabala to second. Two batters later, Eudor Garcia lofted a fly ball to center field that was caught by Ferreira. Zabala decided to tag and head to third. The relay throw to the base bounced off of Zabala’s leg and kicked to the third-base dugout. The second error of the inning allowed Zabala to score, and Columbia jumped in front, 2-0.
The game remained tight until the seventh. First Winningham plated a run with a hard hit base knock to right field and then it was Luis Ortega’s turn. His triple into the left-center field alley plated two. Ortega finished 4-for-5 at the plate, his first four-hit game of the season.
Nicco Blank nailed down the game with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
During the win streak, the Fireflies have not trailed for 43 consecutive innings.
The middle game of Columbia’s series with Charleston is Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Andrew Church (5-1, 1.99) toes the rubber at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park against righty Daris Vargis (10-6, 2.80).
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.
