Fireflies Split Doubleheader in Lakewood
May 15, 2017 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
LAKEWOOD, NJ - Columbia and Lakewood split a doubleheader on Monday at FirstEnergy Park. Starter Harol Gonzalez led the Fireflies to a 6-1 victory in game one, but the BlueClaws bested the visitors in the nightcap, 2-1. Despite taking the loss, Jordan Humphreys was very good in game two (6 IP, 4 H, 6 K). It was Humphreys' first defeat of the year (6-1), but the righty's ERA still stands at a scintillating 1.81.
Gonzalez took a page out of Humphreys' book earlier in the afternoon. The right-hander went the distance and posted the seven-inning complete game. Gonzalez scattered four hits, struck out a season-high eight and issued just one run in the second inning.
Columbia (19-17) scored a pair in the first frame. It was the squad's top two RBI leaders that each drove in a run - Dash Winningham (24) and Michael Paez (23). The bats started cooking again in the fourth inning. Up just a run at the time, Paez led the frame off with a walk and behind him, Winningham doubled. With runners at second and third, Ricardo Cespedes slugged a single through the right side scoring both of his teammates.
The table was then set for Jay Jabs. Playing in front of his friends and family from Schwenksville, Pennsylvania (which is just 90 minutes from Lakewood), the lefty crushed a two-run home run over the right-field wall, his first of the season.
Nick Fanti (W, 3-0) was just slightly better than Humphreys in game two. The two starters entered the game with sub-2 ERAs and neither disappointed. The Fireflies once again scored in the first when Luis Carpio singled in Gene Cone.
Lakewood's (22-16) two runs in the home half of the inning proved to be the difference. Humphreys allowed one hit the rest of the way, eventually retiring the final 14 batters he faced.
Carpio and Paez each finished with three hits between the two games. And Andres Gimenez extended his on-base streak to 13 straight games.
Columbia finishes its road trip in Lakewood on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. Fireflies right-hander Gabriel Llanes (1-2, 2.33) faces BlueClaws lefty JoJo Romero (2-1, 2.20) on the mound.
You can listen to the action on ESPN Columbia 94.9 FM and 1230 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app Starting at 6:15 p.m.
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South Atlantic League Stories from May 15, 2017
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