Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.23 at Kannapolis
May 23, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Cannon Ballers tonight at Atrium Health Ballpark at 7 pm. LHP Jordan Woods (2-2, 4.05 ERA) takes the bump for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Manuel Veloz (4-0, 3.57 ERA).
Columbia comes back to Segra Park to face the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Memorial Day week! The team will celebrate with $1 Busch Light for Thirsty Thursday May 29 on Country Night. The next day, we'll find our beach for Margaritaville Night. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will get a Hawaiian T-shirt courtesy of AMAROK. Then Saturday is the best Dad-Daughter Date Night in Columbia. Join us for Princess Knight with a pre-game tea party and a post-game fireworks show May 31. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES BATS STYMIED IN 4-0 LOSS: The Fireflies opened up with back-to-back hits, but the offense fell flat after. Columbia didn't get a hit after the first out was recorded as they fell to Kannapolis 4-0 Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. Grant Umberger (W, 2-0) was fantastic for the Cannon Ballers. The southpaw allowed back-to-back hits to start the game, but then set aside 18-consecutive Fireflies to earn his first professional quality start. Kannapolis got on the board first. After Yunior Marte (L, 3-2) retired the first two in the first inning, Caleb Bonemer and Calvin Harris roped back-to-back doubles to give Kannapolis a 1-0 lead. Later, Harris scored on a passed ball and wild pitch to double the Cannon Ballers advantage prior to the end of the first.
SPEED, I AM SPEED: Asbel Gonzalez is now second in the Carolina League in stolen bases with 36 on the season. He trails Tommy Hawke, who has 41. Gonzalez is also second to Hawke for the most runs scored in the League (36). Gonzalez also has the league's sixth-best batting average with a mark of .317. Tuesday, Gonzalez became the first Fireflies player to hit a lead-off homer since Jean Ramirez did it at Kannapolis July 14, 2022. It was the center fielder's first homer of the season and the second of his career.
GROWING PAINS: The Fireflies had a .269 team average over 23 games in April. The mark was second in the League to the Carolina Mudcats. Columbia also had the second-most homers in the league (16) and the second-most steals (72). The first 19 games in May have been a bit different. The Fireflies have the lowest batting average in Minor League Baseball in May (.190). The next closest team in the Carolina Leaugue is Hickory, who's hitting .214. The Fireflies have also scored the fewest runs this month in the Carolina League (70).
MASTER OF THE MISS: Yunior Marte's scoreless streak ended at 16.1 innings Friday. The righty still is among the League Leaders in a host of categories. He's ninth in ERA (3.02), third in strikeouts (41), first in innings pitched (41.2), sixth in opposing average (.207) and sixth in WHIP (1.10).
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 16-8 at home compared to a 7-11 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 36 RBI. He is also third in runs scored with 31.
I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES: The Fireflies are 2-7 this season when they wear their navy blue uniforms. The team has played best in their neon uniforms this year. They are 7-2 when they wear the glowing uniforms.
Carolina League Stories from May 23, 2025
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.23 at Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
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