Peña Blast Helps Fireflies Even Up Series

Bats come alive as bullpen shuts down Kannapolis

By John Kocsis Jr.

July 27, 2022

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies used a blast and five scoreless innings from the pen to upend Kannapolis 8-3 Wednesday afternoon at Atrium Health Ballpark. Columbia (15-10) took the lead in the fourth off the bat of Erick Peña, who clipped his second homer of the series to score River

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies used a blast and five scoreless innings from the pen to upend Kannapolis 8-3 Wednesday afternoon at Atrium Health Ballpark.

Columbia (15-10) took the lead in the fourth off the bat of Erick Peña, who clipped his second homer of the series to score River Town and Carter Jensen to put the Fireflies in front 5-3. It was the first time a Fireflies player had homered in back-to-back contests since Town did so May 15 and 17.

The name of the game for Columbia was pitching. After Shane Panzini allowed three runs in the first two innings, he settled down to work through four innings before turning things over to the bullpen. In his second outing as a Fireflies pitcher, Oscar Rayo (W, 1-0) spun four scoreless innings to keep Kannapolis (16-10) at bay, striking out a handful of batters and allowing only four base runners in the process. Ben Wereski closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

The Fireflies added a run of insurance in the seventh when Daniel Vazquez sent a sacrifice fly to right to score Omar Hernandez to give the Fireflies a 6-3 lead. In the ninth, it was Vazquez again who came through for the Fireflies, singling to plate Hernandez and Omar Florentino to push the Fireflies lead to five.

Town helped the Fireflies get on the board in the first. After Jean Ramirez singled to lead-off the game, Town tripled to break the scoreless tie before coming around on a Jensen sacrifice fly to give the Fireflies a 2-0 lead before Kannapolis could come to the dish.

Columbia continues their series with the Cannon Ballers tomorrow afternoon at 7:00 pm at Atrium Health Ballpark. RHP Luinder Avila (5-7, 4.56 ERA) climbs the hill for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Noah Owen (5-7, 4.91 ERA).

The Fireflies return home to Segra Park August 2, where they’ll face the Charleston RiverDogs at home for the first time in the 2022 season. We have a week jam-packed with promotions, including Paw Patrol Night August 6! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.