Columbia Fireflies Game Notes and Roster Move 5.17
May 17, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Royals have made the following roster move affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster:
* INF Colton Becker has been transferred to the Omaha Storm Chasers active roster.
There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 29.
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The Fireflies continue their series with the Augusta GreenJackets tonight at Segra Park at 6:05 pm. RHP Josh Hansell (1-2, 5.27 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Augusta counters with righty Rayven Antonio (3-0, 2.53 ERA).
Tonight is a Starry Night at Segra Park. The Fireflies are benefitting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation with a specialty jersey and a post-game ceremony that includes a fireworks show. It's also Dinosaur night at Segra Park. Ed's Dinosaurs Live! Will bring their life-sized and animatronic dinosaurs to Segra Park tonight. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES BACKED BY BIG SWINGS, STRONG START IN 5-2 WIN: The Columbia Fireflies used two home runs and a quality start from Yunior Marte to take Game 4 of their six-game set against the Augusta GreenJackets, winning 5-2 Friday night at Segra Park. Columbia jumped ahead in the bottom of the third inning. After Derlin Figueroa drew a two-out walk, Ramon Ramirez launched his sixth home run of the season to left-center field to put the Fireflies on top 2-0. An inning later, Josi Novas added on with a solo shot to straightaway center - his fifth of the year - extending the lead to 3-0.
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 14-7 at home compared to a 6-9 record over their first nine road contests of the 2025 season.
RAKING RAMIREZ: Friday, Ramon Ramirez smashed his Carolina League-best sixth homer of the season to give the Fireflies a 2-0 lead. The backstop has now driven in a league-high 28 RBI this year. After a stellar start to the year, Ramirez is enjoying an even better May with a .279/.380/.488 slash.
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.
EXTRA-BASE MACHINE: Brennon McNair has had a strong start to the 2025 season. The outfielder is hitting .250 through his first 30 games of the year. He also has the second-most extra-base hits in the Carolina League this season. He has launched 14 extra-base hits this year, which trails the league leader Freili Encarnacion who has 17.
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 6-11 with two walks and a double. The lefty us hitting .545 and has stolen three bases in as many games.
Carolina League Stories from May 17, 2025
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes and Roster Move 5.17 - Columbia Fireflies
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