Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.29 vs Myrtle Beach
June 29, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies finish their series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans tonight at Segra Park at 5:05 pm. RHP Jose Gutierrez makes his Fireflies debut and Myrtle Beach counters wtih LHP Hayden Frank (2-3, 6.51 ERA).
Tonight is Mason's birthday party! Join Mason and his mascot friends for plenty of shenanigans throughout the night! Plus, after the game we'll host a full-team autograph session and kids can run the bases courtesy of Bang Back Pinball Lounge. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES GET THIRD SHUTOUT OF THE SEASON IN 3-0 WIN: The Fireflies got their third shutout of the 2025 season in a 3-0 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Saturday night at Segra Park. It was Columbia's first shutout since May 26, when they blanked the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 3-0 behind David Shields, Fraynel Nova and Dash Albus. Yunior Marte didn't qualify for the win Saturday night, but he left with the Fireflies in front 1-0. The righty allowed a lead-off single, but then retired 12-consecutive before handing the ball to the bullpen. His three strikeouts were enough for him to regain the Carolina League lead with 67 total strikeouts this season. Nick Conte was the first pitcher out of the bullpen. The righty worked around a lead-off double to keep the Pelicans off the board. After that, Augusto Mendieta (W, 2-0) spun a pair of scoreless innings while striking out one to get Columbia to the eighth inning where Dash Albus (S, 5) closed things out.
MASTER OF THE MISS: Sunday, Yunior Marte continued his solid start to the 2025 campaign. The 6'5" righty spun his third quality start of the year. He ranks among the Carolina League Leaders in most significant pitching statistics including ERA (3rd, 2.51), strikeouts (1st, 67), innings pitched (3rd, 68.0), opposing average (1st, .184) and WHIP (1st, 0.96). In his first full-season in the Carolina League, Marte has looked the part as Columbia's ace.
NUMBERS BEHIND THE CLINCH: The Fireflies finished the first-half 36-30 to win the the South Division Title for the first time in team history. Despite finishing six games above .500, the Fireflies were outscored 323-304 in the first half. Only Columbia and Myrtle Beach finished with a negative run differential in the division. As a team, the Fireflies finished the first half with the ninth-best batting average (.225) in the 12-team Carolina League. Columbia excelled on the basepaths, leading the league in sacrifices and finishing third in steals with 136 or more than two per game. On the mound, Columbia had the eighth-best ERA in the League (4.24). The team held the line when it counted though, leading the Carolina League with 19 saves and finishing fourth with 19 holds. Columbia has the fourth-best fielding percentage in the Carolina League (.970).
I NEED A HIRO: Hiro Wyatt is on his best stretch of pitching this season. Friday, the righty worked his fifth-consecutive five inning start. He allowed a pair of hits in five scoreless innings before passing the ball to his bullpen. Wyatt is one of only two pitchers in the Carolina League to log 20 or more innings in the month of June. Wyatt has a 2.70 ERA to pair with a 0.85 WHIP across 20 innings. He has 19 strikeouts compared to only two walks on the run. The other Carolina League pitcher to work at least 20 innings in June is Melvin Hernandez who has a 0.83 ERA in four games spanning 21.2 innings.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Saturday, Asbel Gonzalez stole four bases in a single game for the third time this year. In the third inning, he usurped Tyler Tolbert's 2021 single season stolen base record when he swept his 50th base of the season. Tolbert had 49 steals in 51 tries across 80 games in Columbia. Gonzalez is second in the Carolina League to Tommy Hawke, who has 63 swipes this season. Gonzalez also has a chance to break the Fireflies career steals record. Jean Ramirez had 68 steals from 2021-23 with the Fireflies. Columbia's center fielder isn't far from the single-season franchise runs scored record either. Eric Torres set the mark with 70 runs scored last year. Gonzalez has scored 53 runs just after the Carolina League's half-way point.
Carolina League Stories from June 29, 2025
- GreenJackets Outlast Woodpeckers in 11-Inning Series Finale - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Pelicans Rally Past Fireflies 8-7, Win Series - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- RiverDogs Snatch Series Finale from Lynchburg with Strong Pitching, Baserunning - Charleston RiverDogs
- Four-Run Fourth Not Enough in 8-7 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- Shorebirds Fall in the Series Finale to Carolina - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mudcats Claim Series from Delmarva - Carolina Mudcats
- Romback, Strong Pitching Lead FredNats to Sunday Victory and Series Split - Fredericksburg Nationals
- RiverDogs Celebrate Independence at the Joe July 1-3 - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.29 vs Myrtle Beach - Columbia Fireflies
- Austin Ehrlicher's Dominating Performance Helps Boost Salem to Victory over Hickory - Salem Red Sox
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