Fireflies Hold on After Career Start for Wyatt
Columbia, SC – The Fireflies used a career day from starter Hiro Wyatt as the bullpen stranded the tying run on the basepaths in both the eighth and ninth innings in a 5-3 win over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Wednesday afternoon at Segra Stadium. Fireflies starter Hiro Wyatt (W, 1-0) turned
Columbia, SC – The Fireflies used a career day from starter Hiro Wyatt as the bullpen stranded the tying run on the basepaths in both the eighth and ninth innings in a 5-3 win over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Wednesday afternoon at Segra Stadium.
Fireflies starter Hiro Wyatt (W, 1-0) turned in a career-best day vs the Woodpeckers. The righty went a career-best five innings while tying a career-mark with six punchouts without allowing a run before he handed the ball to the bullpen.
Brennon McNair started the scoring effort Wednesday as he hooked a solo homer around the left field foul pole in the third to break the scoreless tie. It was McNair’s seventh homer of the season and his second in July.
Columbia added to that total in the top of the fourth inning. Hyungchan Um trotted around the bases after a Lizandro Rodriguez double down the left field line to advance Columbia’s lead to 2-0.
In the seventh, Erick Pena got back on track. Columbia’s right fielder lasered an 108 MPH line drive to right field for a two-run blast that plated Derlin Figueroa to make the score 4-0.
Hensen Leal started the bullpen’s afternoon with a pair of scoreless innings before giving the ball to Juan Martinez. Martinez allowed a pair of runs on three hits and a walk in the eighth to cut Columbia’s lead in half to 4-2.
Then, Jesus Rios (S, 1) came out for the ninth inning. After he walked Victor Diaz with one out, he allowed a pair of singles to Yamal Encarnacion and Kenni Gomez to score Diaz with two outs in the inning to make put the tying run at the plate for Nehomar Ochoa Jr.. Ochoa struck out on four pitches to end the game and secure Rios’s first save of 2024.
The Fireflies final push came in the ninth. Lizandro Rodriguez drew a one out walk before stealing second and third. After that, McNair, lined a single to score Rodriguez for his second hit of the game to increase Columbia’s lead to 5-2.
The Fireflies continue their series with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers tomorrow night at 6:35 pm at Segra Stadium. RHP Jonatan Bernal (0-2, 4.79 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Fayetteville counters with RHP Julio Marte (1-5, 7.51 ERA).
Columbia returns home August 6 for a six-game set with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers highlighted by Nickelodeon's PAW Patrol Night Saturday, August 10 and Cane's Night presented by Nucor Friday, August 9 with a Carolina Hurricane's replica jersey giveaway. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.