Arms Dominate in Fireflies 4-2 Win

Columbia, SC – The Fireflies pitching staff jumped out and didn’t allow an earned run following a 1:23 minute delay to start the game at Segra Park as the Fireflies coasted to a 4-2 victory over the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Wednesday night.

Felix Arronde (W, 3-4) provided a great start for the Fireflies (26-25). He went five innings, allowing four hits and two runs, both of which were unearned to turn the ball over to the bullpen with the lead.

Josh Hansell (H, 1) was the first arm out of the pen for Columbia and the 6’6” righty went through a trio of scoreless innings, allowing only a pair of hits to reach and he got a pair of punchouts in the process. Finally, Connor Fenlong (S, 3) came out and worked a scoreless ninth to earn his team-leading third save on the season.

Columbia jumped out to a lead in the bottom of the first. Erick Torres legged out an infield single to start the frame then advanced on a pair of wild pitches to get to third. After a Derlin Figueroa walk, the two successfully completed a double steal to break the scoreless tie. Next, Austin Charles fought off an inside pitch for a single to left that plated Figueroa and gave Columbia a 2-0 lead.

The Fireflies added on in the bottom of the second. Lizandro Rodriguez led the frame off with a bunt single, stole second and came around on a Blake Mitchell double that landed in no man’s land in shallow left field. The hit put Columbia up 3-1.

Columbia got some help for their fourth run of the night. After Lizandro Rodriguez singled with one out in the sixth and advanced to second on a ground out, Erick Torres slapped an infield single to short, but a wild throw allowed Rodriguez to go-around and score to push Columbia’s lead to 4-2.

The Woodpeckers scored their first run on a wonky play in the second inning. With one out, Victor Diaz bounced a ball back up the middle. Felix Arronde caught the ball and threw out Waner Luciano at second, on the relay, Lizandro Rodriguez’s throw was wide of first. Because of that, Juan Santander was able to score from second to cut Columbia’s lead to 2-1, but very quickly after that, Chris Brito threw a strike to Rodriguez at second who tagged Diaz for out number three to end the inning.

Their second tally came in the fifth inning. Waner Luciano reached on a two base throwing error and trotted around on an Xavier Casserilla RBI single to right field to make it a one-run ball game again.

The Fireflies continue their series with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers tomorrow night at 7:05 pm at Segra Park. LHP Hunter Patteson (2-4, 3.83 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Fayetteville counters with RHP Sandy Mejia (2-3, 7.07 ERA).

It’s time for a blast from the past! Remember playing on your old Game Boy or Atari? We’re harnessing the nostalgia from your favorite video games from yesteryear and bringing it to Segra Park for everyone to enjoy as the Fireflies play on Retro Video Game Night Presented by Lexington Medical Center on a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday! If that weren’t enough, we’ll also have our Budweiser Thirsty Thursday specials where fans can enjoy $1 fountain sodas, $2 domestic drafts and $3 craft drafts and house cocktails during the game.