Pena’s Fireworks Send Fans Home Happy

COLUMBIA, SC – Outfielder Erick Peña smashed a walk-off three-run homer beyond the right field fence to send Fireflies fans home happy in a 7-6 win over the Augusta GreenJackets Friday night at Segra Park.

The walk-off homer was the Fireflies first walk-off hit since Darryl Collins’ walk-off grand slam June 26, 2021.

The Fireflies (1-0), scored seven unanswered runs beginning in the fifth inning. The rally started with a hustle play from Wilmin Candelario as Enrique Valdez hit a sacrifice fly deep to center field. Edgar Martinez scored on the sacrifice, but Candelario hustled from second and forced a fielding error on catcher Adam Zebrowski to cut Augusta’s (0-1) lead to 6-2.

The next inning, Guillermo Quintana got on the board with his first homer of the season, a shot over the home run porch in left field. Peña’s contributions went beyond just the walk-off heroics, he had an RBI single in the seventh to move the Fireflies a run closer as well.

Jack Aldrich (W, 1-0) offered 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to close out the game and earn his first win of the season. Noah Cameron and Patrick Halligan began the game with 7.2 innings of work, allowing six runs in the process.

Augusta had a pair of stand outs, starter Royber Salinas, who received the no-decision after allowing one earned run and fanning 11 hitters in 4.1 innings, and catcher Adam Zebrowski, who homered and had an RBI double in the first three innings.

The Fireflies continue their series with the Augusta GreenJackets at Segra Park tomorrow at 6:05 pm. RHP Luinder Avila (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the nod for the Fireflies and Augusta goes with RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (0-0, 0.00 ERA) You’ll want to stick around after the game for a dazzling post-game fireworks show. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.