Rodriguez Pitches Gem in Front of 6,000 in Loss

Lefty allows one run over 5.2 innings, but Fireflies fall 3-1

By Columbia Fireflies

August 30, 2026

Top Storylines - Darwin Rodriguez was brilliant in his final home start of the season. He worked 5.2 innings with nine strikeouts and no walks. He allowed just one run off four hits. - Andy Basora closed the game out with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief. He has not allowed

Top Storylines

Darwin Rodriguez was brilliant in his final home start of the season. He worked 5.2 innings with nine strikeouts and no walks. He allowed just one run off four hits.

Andy Basora closed the game out with 1.1 scoreless innings in relief. He has not allowed an earned run in his final six appearances in 2026.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies closed out their 2026 slate in appropriate fashion, with a pitcher’s duel starring Darwin Rodriguez. The southpaw worked 5.2 innings around just one run as the Fireflies fell 3-1 to the Charleston RiverDogs Sunday at Segra Park.

Charleston scored the game winning runs in the top of the eighth courtesy of a Dean Moss two-run double against Yeri Perez (L, 1-1). After that, Andy Basora worked 1.1 scoreless innings to close out the game. Basora has 12 strikeouts in 8.2 innings over his last six appearances now and he hasn’t allowed an earned run on the stretch.

Play-by-Play

The RiverDogs broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning with some two-out magic. Andreimi Antunez smacked a double down the right field line then came around on an RBI single from Grady Emerson to break the scoreless tie.

Darwin Rodriguez left the game after 5.2 innings. Columbia’s starter worked around four hits to allow just one run and he matched a career-best with nine strikeouts. He also didn’t issue a walk for the first time since July 24.

Columbia matched the score in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Jhosmmel Zue hustled out a triple in the right-center gap before Tyson Moran brought him home with an RBI single to tie the game.

After that, Xavier Lopez (W, 1-0) and Efrailin Ramos (S, 2) combined to hold Columbia without a run for the final 2.1 innings.

Charleston scored the game-winning runs in the eighth. With Yeri Perez (L, 1-1) on the bump, Dean Moss drove a two-out double to right to score Slater de Brun and Grady Emerson to push Charleston to a 3-1 lead that stuck through the end of the night.

On-Deck

The Fireflies head to Myrtle Beach to close out the 2026 regular season. They’ll kick-off that series at 7:05 pm Tuesday. Both teams have yet to name their starters.

Thank you for keeping up with the Fireflies for the 2026 season! Stay tuned for updates on off-season events at Segra Park and updates on the upcoming 2027 season. More details are available at FirefliesTickets.com.