Fireflies Drop Back-and-Forth Game 9-5

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies fell behind late in a back-and-forth contest, allowing six runs in the last two innings, losing 9-5 to the Mudcats Saturday night at Five County Stadium.

Lizandro Rodriguez started the Fireflies seventh inning rally. The switch hitter pulled his sixth homer of the season to right field to tie the game 3-3. Trevor Werner drew a walk and then came around on a Jared Dickey triple to right field to give Columbia their first lead since the fourth inning.

That lead didn’t last long either though. Eduardo Herrera entered the game and gave up a single to Jace Avina that set the tone for the inning. Gregory Barrios walked to push runners to the corners to allow Dylan O’Rae to single, scoring Barrios and putting the go-ahead run 90 feet away. Later, Carolina successfully executed a double steal to go up 5-4 heading into the eighth inning.

In the eighth, Carolina put the finishing touches on the game, scoring four runs on two Fireflies errors. The big blow was a Jadher Areinamo two-run blast off a light pole in left field. Only one of the four runs were earned for Mack Anglin and Columbia left the field trailing 9-4.

Jared Dickey had one last mark on the game, singling down the line to score Lizandro Rodriguez from second to cut Carolina’s lead to 9-5.

Oscar Rayo left the game in-line for the win, spinning his second quality start of the season. The southpaw allowed three runs in the first six innings, as he left in a 4-3 game.

Eduardo Herrera (BS, 1, L, 6-2) allowed a pair of runs in the seventh as the first man out of the bullpen in Columbia’s loss.

Daniel Vazquez quickly put Columbia back on top in the top of the third. The righty, hit his second round-tripper of the season, sending a flair over the shallow right field fence to push Columbia to a 2-1 lead.

The Mudcats again had an answer though. In the bottom of the fourth, Daniel Guilarte led things off with a walk advanced to second on a Tayden Hall single and scored as Jadher Areinamo yanked a double down the left field line to match Columbia’s score 2-2.

Columbia started out the scoring in the top of the second. Austin Charles gapped a double to left-center with one out and came around on a Lizandro Rodriguez RBI single to give Columbia a 1-0 lead.

In the home half of the second, Carolina reset the game with a Luke Adams single to lead off the second. Adams came around on a Jace Avina single that eventually ended the inning after a pickle between second and third, but the damage was done and the game was tied 1-1.

Trevor Werner extended his hitting streak to a 2023 Fireflies’-best 10-games as he laced a one out double down the left field line in the top of the fifth inning.

Logan Henderson left the game allowing a pair of runs off five hits in 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts and with his team in-front 3-2.

The Fireflies close out their series with the Mudcats tomorrow afternoon at 1 pm at Five County Stadium. RHP Mauricio Veliz (4-6, 5.22 ERA) takes the nod for Columbia and Carolina counters with RHP Will Childers (2-3, 5.26 ERA).

The Fireflies will come home for one last homestand at Segra Park in 2023 as they face the Delmarva Shorebirds August 29-September 3. We’ll host Retro Video Game Night, a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday and will wrap up the season with a Sunday Funday. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.