RiverDogs Losing Streak Hits Five as Gabriel Llanes Earns Victory
It has seemed to be a common theme in this series with the Columbia Fireflies. The Charleston RiverDogs find themselves behind early and simply can not get on top, which is what happened on Sunday as Columbia scored three in the second and then watched Gabriel Llanes close the door on Charleston in the 3-2 victory. Tim Tebow drove in 2-runs to lead the offense.
Following a scoreless first, Columbia jumped out in front in the bottom of second against RiverDogs starter Adonis Rosa. Dash Winningham singled to get the rally started and Luis Carpio followed with a bloop single that put two on with no one out. Jay Jabs drilled a line drive single into center to load the bases, moving the Charleston infield in. Ali Sanchez grounded into a fielder’s choice that gunned Winningham at the plate before Tim Tebow lined a base hit into right field to score both Carpio and Jabs. Reed Gamache delivered a sacrifice fly making it 3-0 Fireflies.
Charleston would respond with a run in the top of the third. Llanes retired the first batter of the inning, then Eduardo Navas drilled his first homer of the season over the right field wall to cut the deficit to two.
In the fifth, the RiverDogs made this a one-run game. Brandon Wagner led off the frame by drilling a double into the gap in left field and moved to third on a ground out. Navas followed with a ground out that brought Wagner home to make it 3-2.
From there this became a tense game. Following the double in the fifth, Llanes retired the next 12 batters he faced, only seeing his streak come to an end when Oswaldo Cabrera reached on an error to start the ninth. A double-play erased Cabrera but Angel Aguilar singled to keep the inning alive. That brought a call to Dalton Blaser, who closed out the game for his fifth save of the season.
Gabriel Llanes (4-3) went 8.2-innings, allowing 6-hits, a walk, and 2-earned runs. Tim Tebow was 1-3 with 2-RBI and Reed Gamache was 2-2 with an RBI. The RiverDogs offense was led by Eduardo Navas, who was 1-3 with a homerun and 2-RBI.
These two teams will finish off their five-game series tomorrow with Charleston looking to snap their five-game losing streak. The RiverDogs have not named their starter.
By Robert Pannier