RiverDogs Blank Fireflies for Seventh Straight Win

Columbia, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs blanked the Columbia Firelfies on Thursday night at Segra Park for their seventh consecutive victory. The RiverDogs scored all four of their runs in the top of the second inning and JJ Goss, Neraldo Catalina and Antonio Menendez made that hold up for the rest of the night. The victory marked the seventh time the RiverDogs have held their opponent scoreless this season.

The big inning featured all four runs scoring with two outs. The bases became loaded against Columbia (17-15, 34-62) starter Frank Mozzicato with a walk to Kenny Piper and consecutive singles by Oneill Manzueta and Daiwer Castellanos. Mozzicato struck out Julio Meza for the second out of the frame and looked like he might escape trouble. However, Alejandro Pie had other ideas, rolling a two-run single through the left side to give the RiverDogs (20-12, 66-32) a 2-0 advantage. Two more runs scored on wild pitches before the final out was recorded allowing the lead to double.

From that point forward, pitching was the story. Goss, the starter, continued a dominant July by tossing 6.0 scoreless innings. He allowed four hits, did not issue a walk and struck out six. The right-hander as allowed just three earned runs in his last 28.0 innings on the mound.

Neraldo Catalina was first out of the bullpen and blew away hitters with a fastball in the triple-digits to the tune of 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings. Antonio Menendez worked out of a jam that had runners at second and third with no outs, to post a scoreless ninth and complete the shutout.

Pie and Castellanos led the RiverDogs six-hit effort with two each. Pie was the only hitter to record an RBI for either side. Columbia finished the game with five hits as a team.

The fourth game of the series is scheduled for Friday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Ben Peoples (4-4, 3.46) gets the call to start for the RiverDogs against Fireflies RHP Ben Kudrna (2-4, 2.66).