Fireflies Smash a Season-High Three Homers on Wednesday
Published on June 6, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
COLUMBIA, SC - The Fireflies mashed a season-high three home runs on Wednesday but came up one run short against Charleston. The RiverDogs claimed the middle game of the series with a 6-5 victory. Nine of the 13 games Columbia and Charleston have played this year have been decided by a single run.
Ali Sanchez, Scott Manea and Quinn Brodey all vaulted baseballs out of the yard at Spirit Communications Park on Wednesday. Sanchez and Manea both blasted solo home runs in the fourth inning (the third multi-homer inning of the season for the Fireflies). Columbia (28-28) had entered the inning trailing 1-0 and then exited leading by a run.
Matt McPhearson tied the score, though, in the top of the fifth with an RBI double. Charleston (28-29) later pulled ahead with a four-run seventh. Five straight RiverDogs batters recorded hits at one point in the half inning and Oswaldo Cabrera did the most damage with a two-run single that put the visiting club ahead, 6-2.
Columbia kept fighting. After Menea beat out a double-play ball in the home half of the seventh, Brodey crushed his team-leading sixth homer of the season over the right-center field wall. The Fireflies had sliced the deficit in half.
And that wasn't all. In the following frame, Sanchez doubled. Two batters later, it was Matt Winaker with a chance to drive in a run. His single into centerfield plated Sanchez and the Fireflies were back within one. Columbia could not rally any further, though.
Sanchez, Winaker and Manea all finished with a pair of hits. Raphael Gladu finished with a base hit as well and extended his franchise-record hit streak to 20 straight games. Mind you, the outfielder is also on a 25-game on-base streak (four away from tying the franchise record).
Greg Weissert (W, 2-2) claimed the win for Charleston and Darwin Ramos (L, 0-2) was handed the loss. Tony Dibrell started for the Fireflies and performed well. The righty struck out seven over six innings.
On Thursday, Columbia and Charleston conclude their three-game series. South Atlantic League all-star Joe Cavallaro (6-1, 2.22) makes the start for the Fireflies and toes the rubber against RiverDogs right-hander Jio Orozco (0-1, 5.14).
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 ET and fans have the chance to watch the spectacular Jake the Diamond Dog! Thursday's game is also a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday, featuring $1 Bud Lites all night long.
You can watch the action on MiLB.TV or listen in on FOX Sports Radio 1400 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 6:45 p.m.
South Atlantic League Stories from June 6, 2018
- West Virginia Powers over Legends in Game Three - Lexington Legends
- McPhearson Gets Dirty, Drives in Pair of Key Runs to Lead RiverDogs to Victory in Columbia - Charleston RiverDogs
- Stafford's Blast Lifts West Virginia to 5-3 Victory - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Ynoa, Encarnacion Too Much for Tourists - Asheville Tourists
- 'Hoppers Pitching Quiets 'Birds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Suns Split DH on Flores' Walk-Off Homer - Hagerstown Suns
- Diaz Pitches Drive to Shutout of GreenJackets - Greenville Drive
- Pitchers' Duel Won by Drive - Augusta GreenJackets
- Fireflies Smash a Season-High Three Homers on Wednesday - Columbia Fireflies
- BlueClaws, Suns Split Wednesday Double-Header - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 6 vs. Charleston (Game 57) - Columbia Fireflies
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (June 6) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- BlueClaws to Host Mini Golf Tournaments at Saturday Home Games - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- All-Star Catchers Go Deep in Loss to Kannapolis - Hickory Crawdads
- Rail Passenger Disembarks in Charleston During 6,000 Mile Journey - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Power Splits Doubleheader Behind Offensive Nightcap - Charleston Dirty Birds
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