For the second straight night the Charleston RiverDogs and Columbia Fireflies battled in a pitchers’ duel, as Tyler Badamo and Simon De la Rosa each allowed just a single run in their five innings of work. The game would remain tied leaving it up to the bullpens. Each team got outstanding work out of their reliever and it would take a tragic throwing error that would enable the go-ahead run to score and give the Charleston RiverDogs the 2-1 victory.

Badamo and De la Rosa dominated in the first three frames. Columbia was able to get runners on base in the second and third innings, but the Charleston starter made big pitches when he had to so the Fireflies were kept off of the scoreboard. Badamo also made big pitches when he needed to, thwarting a first and third inning rally to keep the game tied at zero.

In the bottom of the fourth the RiverDogs took the lead. With two outs, Austin Afenir singled and he moved to second on a single by Leonardo Molina that deflected off the second baseman’s glove and into center field. Kendall Coleman followed with a ground single to right that scored Afenir to make it a 1-0 Charleston lead.

The Fireflies responded right away in the top of the fifth. Kevin Kaczmarski reached on an error with one out and Vinny Siena followed with a double to the wall in center field that scored Kaczmarski all the way from first. That tied the game at one.

Both starters were done after the fifth inning. De la Rosa pitched a gem, allowing 4-hits, 3-walks and an unearned run while striking out 5. Badamo was equally as impressive, allowing 5-hits, 3-walks and 1-earned run, while striking out 3.

From there the game was turned over to Tyler Bashlor for Columbia and Cody Carroll for Charleston. Both pitchers were quite effective, especially Carroll. The Charleston reliever allowed a lone walk in each of his first three innings of work, but no hits and he struck out seven total.

Bashlor pitched extremely well, retiring the first eight batters he faced, but a two-out walk would come back to haunt him. Angel Aguilar drew that walk and Jackson followed with a single. A throwing error by the Columbia third baseman allowed Aguilar to come around to score to give the Charleston RiverDogs the 2-1 lead.

Carroll (2-1) remained in the game in the ninth and struck out the side to end the game. Bashlor (0-1) took the tough luck loss despite only allowing a lone hit in his three innings of relief.

The series continues between these two teams tomorrow evening at 6:05. Joe Shaw (2-2, 3.21) will go to the mound for Columbia. Yefrey Ramirez (1-0, 1.35) makes the start for the Charleston RiverDogs.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier