Fireflies Finish Suspended Game, Move Doubleheader

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Columbia Fireflies couldn’t keep the Pelicans off the scoreboard, as Myrtle Beach walked off in the bottom of the ninth, 1-0 to beat Columbia Friday evening at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. The two teams resumed a suspended contest from Thursday evening.

The 1-0 loss was the first 1-0 game the Fireflies (17-10) had since August 13, 2019 when they fell in Charleston by that score.

The Fireflies and Pelicans were deadlocked in a pitcher’s duel prior to a rain delay Thursday evening. Delvin Capellan and DJ Herz both held their opponents hitless through the first four innings of the contest. Juan Carlos Negret earned the first hit of the game with a base knock in the top of the fifth. Columbia stranded the go-ahead run on third in both the fourth and the fifth innings

Capellan ended up allowing one hit, a double in his season-high five innings on the bump. The game was delayed in the top of the sixth with two outs. Tyler Tolbert had just stolen second for his 12th stolen bag of the season. Jake Means was at the plate for Columbia.

Following the rain delay, Didier Vargas and Bailey Reid *(W, 1-1) shut down the Fireflies for three innings, allowing just one hit. Columbia’s *Anderson Paulino (L, 2-2) looked strong for three innings, but as the rain started crashing onto the field in the ninth, he gave up a triple to Ryan Reynolds who scored as Raymond Pena reached on a fielder’s choice back to the pitcher to end the game.

Tomorrow the two teams will play a pair of seven inning games beginning at 4:05 pm. The Fireflies will use LHP Luis De Avila (2-0, 7.04 ERA) in his first start of the season in game one and southpaw Adam Laskey (0-2, 10.26) gets the nod for the Pelicans. In game two, Columbia goes with Righty Ben Hernandez (0-1, 3.71 ERA) and Myrtle Beach sends RHP Richard Gallardo (0-1, 4.86 ERA) to the bump.

After two weeks on the road, the Fireflies will return home Tuesday, June 15 to start a six-game set with the Augusta GreenJackets. At that point, Columbia will play 12 games in 13 days at Segra Park that will include two fireworks shows, two t-shirt giveaways and much more. For tickets visit FirefliesTickets.com.