Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.18 vs Augusta
May 18, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their series with the Augusta GreenJackets today at Segra Park at 5:05 pm. RHP Blake Wolters (2-1, 4.55 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Augusta counters with RHP Samuel Mejia (1-2, 4.03 ERA).
Today is Teacher Appreciation Day! We'll honor local Midlands teachers during the game. It's also a Sunday Funday where kids can run the bases following the game thanks to Bang Back Pinball Lounge and we'll host a whole-team autograph session after the game. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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RAMIREZ SLAMS FIREFLIES TO 11-INNING WIN: Ramon Ramirez provided the pop, homering twice after the eighth inning in a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Augusta GreenJackets in 11 innings Saturday night at Segra Park. In the bottom of the 11th, Ramirez came to the plate with Asbel Gonzalez at third and Derlin Figueroa at first. He blasted a 3-1 fastball 107 MPH onto the left field lawn to win the game 7-6. It was Columbia's first walk-off homer since Erick Pena hit one against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans May 3, 2023. Columbia's catcher knotted the game in the bottom of the eighth against Jacob Gomez (L, 1-2). He lined his first homer of the night to score Figueroa to tie the game 3-3 with two outs. It was Columbia's first two-homer game since Ramirez accomplished the feat April 13. He has now homered in back-to-back games for the second time this year.
SPEED, I AM SPEED: Asbel Gonzalez is now second in the Carolina League in stolen bases with 35 on the season. He trails Tommy Hawke, who has 39. Gonzalez is also second to Hawke for the most runs scored in the League (33). Gonzalez also has the league's fourth-best batting average with a mark of .338.
MASTER OF THE MISS: Friday, Yunior Marte earned his second quality start of the season to get his team-leading third win of 2025. The righty hasn't allowed a run since April 27. He has worked 15.2-consecutive innings without surrendering a run, spanning three starts. During the stretch, Marte's ERA has dropped from 4.84 to 2.87. Marte ranks among the league leaders in Innings Pitched (37.2, 1st), ERA (2.87, 7th), Wins (3, 4th), Strikeouts (36, 5th), Opposing Average (.207, 6th) and WHIP (1.09, 5th).
HOME SWEET HOME: The Fireflies finished their 12-game homestand 9-3 against the Carolina Mudcats and Hickory Crawdads. The team has been red-hot at Segra Park this season, going 16-7 at home compared to a 6-9 record over their first nine road contests of the 2025 season.
RAKING RAMIREZ: Saturday, Ramon Ramirez rewrote the Fireflies record book. He hit Columbia's first walk-off homer since Erick Pena homered May 3, 2023. He had the Fireflies first two homer game since he accomplished the feat April 13. He had Columbia's first five RBI game since he had a six RBI game April 13. He has also homered in back-to-back games for the first time since Brennon McNair did so April 19 and 22. Ramirez leads the Carolina League with eight homers and 33 RBI.
ON A ROLL: Fireflies reliever Nick Conte got off to a slow start in 2025, but he has hit his stride over his last four games. Tuesday, Conte pitched more than one inning for the first time this year, striking out four batters in 1.2 scoreless innings vs Augusta. After recording a 15.63 ERA over 6.1 innings in April, Conte has a 0.00 ERA in his first 3.2 innings in May. The righty has allowed only one hit over his last three appearances and he has wrung up seven.
FIGUEROA FLOWING: Derlin Figueroa has had an excellent start to the week. Thursday, the third baseman went 2-3 with a walk, which helped Asbel Gonzalez score Columbia's lone run of the game. Figueroa has played all three games this week and is 10-19 with three walks and a double. The lefty is hitting .526 and has stolen three bases in as many games.
Carolina League Stories from May 18, 2025
- RiverDogs Close Homestand with 5-3 Extra-Innings Loss to Salem - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Drop Finale 8-1 to Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
- Crawdads Split Series with Kannapolis After 5-2 Loss - Hickory Crawdads
- FredNats Right the Ship, Beat Delmarva 7-2 Sunday - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Shorebirds Fall to the Nationals in the Series Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Lynchburg Earns Series Win with 9-2 Victory over Myrtle Beach - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Lynchburg Takes Series over Pelicans Behind 9-2 Win - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Mudcats Claim Series against Fayetteville - Carolina Mudcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.18 vs Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
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