Fireflies Split Doubleheader With Charleston on Sunday
COLUMBIA, SC (Fireflies) – 5,304 fans packed Spirit Communications Park on Sunday, and the Fireflies managed to split their doubleheader with the RiverDogs. Columbia took the first game of the twin bill, 5-1. Gaby Almonte tossed a complete game and Dale Burdick laced a two-run double.
Charleston (33-36, 75-63) scored its lone run of game one in the top of the third frame. After Gosuke Katoh reached on an error and moved to second base on a fielder’s choice, Vince Conde ripped a run-scoring single. That was all for the RiverDogs against Almonte (W, 4-5). The Dominican righty allowed just four hits and one unearned run in his seven innings of work.
Columbia (31-38, 67-72) tied the contest in the fourth. J.C. Rodriguez led off the frame and stroked a double to left-center field. He scootered to third base after Burdick grounded out. Then Patrick Mazeika lifted a sacrifice-fly to center field to score Rodriguez.
With the game knotted, 1-1, the Fireflies posted a four-spot in the fifth inning. Will Barring started it off with a walk and instantly moved to second on a wild pitch. One batter later, Luis Ortega slapped a run-scoring single over the short stop’s head and gave Columbia the lead. Charleston starter Daris Vargas (L, 10-8) threw two more wild pitches, both enabling Ortega to score. The righty’s control issues continued. Vargas walked Tucker Tharp and Rodriguez consecutively. The free passes set up shop for Burdick, who placed his double down the left-field line to score his teammates. In total, 10 Columbia hitters came to the dish in the fifth.
Almonte retired six of the final seven RiverDogs’ batters he faced to seal the victory.
In game two, Charleston third baseman Mandy Alvarez hit a three-run homer in the top of the third. The visitors never looked back, adding an insurance run in the sixth frame.
Dash Winningham mashed a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Yankees’ prospect Dillon Tate (W, 4-3). The Ocala, Florida, native now has 12 long balls this season. That matches his 2015 total with the Kingsport Mets. Winningham also collected his team-best 68th run batted in.
Despite being handed the loss, Kevin Canelon (L, 6-11) also pitched a complete game for the Fireflies. The lefty only walked one and matched his season-high with seven strikeouts.
The final game of the Columbia Fireflies’ inaugural season is on Monday night at Spirit Communications Park. Right-hander Luis De Los Santos (0-0, 3.52) gets the start on Labor Day and opposes Charleston righty Luis Cedeno (8-9, 3.79). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
