Charleston RiverDogs Dominate Columbia Fireflies 4-0 with Impressive Shutout Performance

The Charleston RiverDogs achieved a dominant 4-0 win against the Columbia Fireflies on Tuesday evening at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

The victory was solidified by pitcher Jayden Voelker’s outstanding play, as he pitched five scoreless innings, recording his inaugural win.

Voelker’s evening started off quickly with a fast five-pitch first inning, establishing the pace for Charleston’s (11-17) initial surge. In the top of the first, after Theo Gillen secured a base on balls with two outs, Connor Hujsak went toe-to-toe with Columbia’s starting pitcher Tanner Jones in an intense 10-pitch duel. This drawn-out confrontation ended when he hit a ground ball towards shortstop; however, Colton Becker fumbled the catch, enabling both players to advance to scoring positions.

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Angel Mateo capitalized on the opportunity, driving an RBI single through Becker's glove to put Charleston on the board. Ricardo Gonzalez followed with a bloop single to left, extending the lead to 2-0.

The RiverDogs extended their lead further during the fifth inning. Brailyn Guerrero started the surge with a successful infield hit, which was quickly followed by Gillen's powerful 107-mph shot down the right field line, advancing the runners to first and third base. After stealing second, Gillen set up the perfect opportunity for Hujsak, who promptly responded with a two-RBI single into left field, increasing their lead to 4-0.

Charleston's bold baserunning stood out, with the squad stealing a season-best eight bags.

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Voelker had an outstanding performance with four strikeouts and three walks, giving up only two hits and leaving baserunners stranded in the last three innings he pitched.

In the sixth inning, Jacob Kmatz stepped in and kept up the pressure, racking up four strikeouts and allowing just one player to reach base across three innings. Dominic Niman ensured the shutout was locked down with a perfect performance in the ninth inning.

The RiverDogs’ triumph secures their third successive win. The competition carries on Wednesday evening at 7:05 p.m., highlighting a clash between highly ranked prospects—Trevor Harrison from the Rays and Blake Wolters from the Royals. Individuals aged 55 and up can enter for free as part of Senior Night festivities at the Joe.