Viall's Fastball Unhittable; Righty Powers Columbia to Win
July 9, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
COLUMBIA, SC - Chris Viall's fastball command was his biggest strength on the hill on Monday night at Spirit Communications Park. The tall righty fanned seven over six innings and led Columbia to a 2-1 victory over Charleston in the series finale. The win snapped the Fireflies' five-game losing streak.
Viall has now struck out 19 batters in two starts (11.1 IP) vs. Charleston this season. Overall, the 22-year-old right-hander has punched out 70 hitters in just 48.2 innings.
It took five frames, but Columbia (8-10, 42-43) finally scored the game's first run. Charleston (12-5, 45-40) starter Reiver Sanmartin (L, 0-2) first plunked Quinn Brodey with one out. Then Giovanny Alfonzo doubled and there were runners at second and third. With Carlos Sanchez at the plate, Sanmartin misfired with a pitch in the dirt and Brodey scored on the wild pitch. Later, Alfonzo scored when Hansel Moreno chopped a ground ball to short stop Wilkerman Garcia. His wide throw to first - and subsequent error - gave Alfonzo the chance to score. Columbia led, 2-0.
The RiverDogs sliced into the deficit the following inning. In the sixth, Jason Lopez doubled and then scored on Chris Hess' single.
After Viall, reliever Darwin Ramos (S, 1) finished the job. The righty hurled three shut-out frames and recorded his second career save. Ramos's scoreless inning streak has reached nine straight frames.
Columbia is off on Tuesday and begins a seven-game road trip in Hagerstown on Wednesday. The Fireflies and Suns are scheduled to play at 7:05 ET at Municipal Stadium on Wednesday evening. It'll be a battle of righties: Nicholas Debora (1-2, 3.47) for Columbia and Tomas Alastre (3-3, 4.71) for Hagerstown.
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