Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 7.9 at Charleston
July 9, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Charleston RiverDogs tonight at The Joe at 7:05 pm. LHP David Shields (2-1, 2.14 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP Andrew Lindsey (0-1, 6.75 ERA).
Columbia returns home for a weekend filled with fun for all at Segra Park July 18-20. It all starts off with Christmas in July beginning with a Segra Park snowglobe giveaway for the first 1,000 fans in attendance July 18, then celebrate Peanuts Night with a special appearance from Snoopy July 19. Finally, the club closes things out with Kids Club Takeover night. Buy your tickets now at Firefliestickets.com.
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WOODS LEADS PITCHING STAFF IN 4-1 WIN: Jordan Woods led the way for the pitching staff, as the Fireflies beat the Charleston RiverDogs 4-1 in their series opener at The Joe Tuesday night. Columbia jumped ahead in the top of the first inning. Colton Becker got things started with a single, then stole second to set the table for Yandel Ricardo. Columbia's shortstop laced a double down the right field line to break the scoreless tie. Later, Hyungchan Um reached on a throwing error that allowed Ricardo to score to give Columbia a 2-0 lead.
MASTERFUL MARTE: 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 (2nd, 2.38), strikeouts (1st, 70), innings pitched (3rd, 72.0), opposing average (2nd, .189) and WHIP (1st, 0.96). In his first full-season in the Carolina League, Marte has looked the part as Columbia's ace.
NO FIREWORKS THIS JULY: The Fireflies pitching staff has started the month of July at a scorching pace. The club is 4-3, but has a 2.40 ERA, which is good for the fourth-best ERA in Minor League Baseball since July 1. The team is 3-3 in save opportunities and has allowed 16 earned runs in 60 innings since the turn of the calendar. The Fireflies trail The Lakeland Flying Tigers (1.80 in 45 IP), The Columbus Clingstones (1.95 ERA in 60 IP) and the Hudson Valley Renegades (2.17 ERA in 58 IP) for the top mark in the minors.
RUSSELL ROCKETS: Stone Russell's bat is heating up again. Columbia's infielder has now reached base in 10-consecutive games after drawing two walks Tuesday at Charleston. Since June 26, Russell is 8-29 (.276) at the plate. He's also had a knack for the free pass. Russell has drawn nine walks in his last 10 games to boost his on-base percentage to .447 during the run.
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.
NUMBERS BEHIND THE CLINCH: The Fireflies finished the first-half 36-30 to win the South Division Title for the first time in team history. It is the Fireflies first playoff berth in team history. The club will play their first home playoff game September 11 at Segra Park.
I NEED A HIRO: Hiro Wyatt continued his roll of great pitching for Columbia. The righty has the fifth-most innings pitched since the start of June (27.2) and he's done more than just eat innings. He's limited base runners to the tune of a 1.08 WHIP, which is the ninth-best in the circuit during that run and he has found the swing and miss stuff. The righty has the fourth-most strikeouts in the league during that time with 27.
Carolina League Stories from July 9, 2025
- 11th Inning Theatrics Lead 'Dogs to First Walk-Off Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Loses 11 Inning Game 5-4 - Columbia Fireflies
- Delmarva Defeats Fayetteville in Wednesday Night Pitchers' Duel - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Peoples' Ninth-Inning Home Run Leads FredNats to 4-2 Win, First Place - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Late Home Run Lifts Fredericksburg Past Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Shorebirds' Even Series with Dominant Night on the Mound - Delmarva Shorebirds
- GreenJackets Rained out in Midweek Tilt - Augusta GreenJackets
- DeCarlo to 7-Day IL - Carolina Mudcats
- Hillcats Game Postponed - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Pelicans Edge Cannon Ballers 3-2, Even Series - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 7.9 at Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
- Family Four Pack Returns for Christmas in July - Columbia Fireflies
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