Late Rally Lifts Fireflies Over GreenJackets

Columbia, SC – The Fireflies bats came alive, scoring three runs in the seventh to give Columbia a 5-2 win over Augusta Thursday night at SRP Park.

Columbia regained the lead in the top of the seventh. Lizandro Rodriguez started the inning with a base knock and advanced into scoring position thanks to a Diego Guzman ground out to the right side of the infield. Next, Erick Torres laced a single to right to plate Rodriguez and push Columbia in front 3-2. Later, Blake Mitchell laced a base hit to right and Robert Gonzalez fumbled the ball, allowing Torres to score from first to double Columbia’s lead. The carousel kept going with Austin Charles at the plate. Columbia’s third baseman smacked a single down the left field line to score Mitchell and push Columbia’s lead to three.

Emmanuel Reyes ended up working 5.2 innings, allowing two, unearned runs before leaving with a no decision. The righty fanned four and allowed three hits before exiting the game 2-2. He passed it to Josh Hansell to get the final out of the sixth and then Hansell (W, 1-1) spun his way through the seventh, eighth and ninth without allowing a run to earn his first win of the season.

Kaden Morton had his best start of his career, spinning 4.1 innings and allowing a pair of runs before handing the ball to Augusta’s bullpen. After that, LJ McDonough was the first arm out of the pen for Augusta.

The GreenJackets tied the game in the sixth inning. The frame began with a fielding error on Austin Charles, allowing Leiker Figueroa to reach second. The next hitter, Robert Gonzalez doubled to make it a 2-1 game. After a pair of ground outs and a pitching change, Kade Kern singled to tie the game 2-2.

The Fireflies bats started quickly. Blake Mitchell tripled to the right field gap and then Austin Charles lifted a sacrifice fly to score Mitchell with two outs in the first to break the scoreless tie.

In the second, the Fireflies doubled their lead. Dionmy Salon led the frame off with a walk and then advanced to third on a Lizandro Rodriguez single and an ensuing rundown that resulted in Columbia’s second baseman being tagged out trying to stretch to second. Salon scored on a Kaden Morton (L, 0-3) balk on the next pitch with a pair of outs.

Columbia continues their series with the Augusta GreenJackets tomorrow at 7:05 pm at Segra Park. RHP Felix Arronde (4-6, 3.65 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Augusta counters with RHP Garrett Baumann (5-2, 3.38 ERA).

The Fireflies return home Friday, July 19 for the start of Dino Weekend! Join us as we have a Mason Triceratops Bobblehead giveaway July 19, Jurassic World Night July 20 and we’ll bring back Ed’s Dinosaurs real life interactive dinosaurs Sunday, July 21. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.