Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Charleston 4.14
Published on April 14, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off a six-game set with the Charleston RiverDogs tonight at 7:05 pm at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark. RHP Jose Gutierrez (0-1, 7.71 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP Aidan Cremarosa (1-0, 3.60 ERA).
Columbia returns home to Segra Park for a six-game series with the Augusta GreenJackets from April 21-26. The team will host Princesses and Pirates Night with a fireworks display Saturday, April 25 and will be giving away a Fireflies 10th Anniversary lapel pin Friday, April 24. Buy your tickets starting at $6 at FirefliesTickets.com.
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CABRERA SLAM POWERS FIREFLIES TO 8-3 WIN: The Fireflies used a first inning Roni Cabrera grand slam and a four-run fourth inning to beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 8-3 Sunday night at Segra Park. The victory powered Columbia to their first series victory of the year. Columbia got on the board in a big way in the first inning. After Riely Hunsaker (L, 0-1) walked the bases loaded, Roni Cabrera pulled a grand slam beyond the left field fence to give the Fireflies a 4-0 lead. The Pelicans sent a counter blow in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cole Mathis lasered his third homer of the year to left-center to cut Columbia's lead to 4-1.
I'VE GOT THE POWER: Sunday, Roni Cabrera powered Columbia's first grand slam of the 2026 season to the left field bleachers. It was the Fireflies' 10th homer across their first nine games. That's good for second in the Carolina League, right behind the Charleston RiverDogs. They have the fourth-most homers in Class-A. The Ontario Tower Buzzers lead the pack with 14 round-trippers.
CLIMBING THE LEADBOARD: Brooks Bryan's name has become a frequent flyer on the Carolina League Leaderboard after another multi-hit game Friday. Columbia's backstop has the sixth-highest battting average (.375), the best slugging percentage (.792) and the highest OPS (1.275) this season. The Alabama native has four doubles and two homers and has driven in eight RBI this year. When he homered Saturday, he joined Ivan Sosa as the only players who have homered in back-to-back games this season. Bryan has had at least one hit in each of his seven games played this season.
SOME SERIOUS TALENT: The Fireflies have six of the Royals 30 top prospects on their Opening Day roster according to MLB Pipeline. Blake Wolters, Kendry Chourio and Michael Lombardi are the arms in the top 30 and Yandel Ricardo, Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond are the bats that are representing the list for Columbia. Wolters, Chourio and Ricardo are all returning to Columbia after spending time with the team during the 2025 season.
DOUBLING UP ON DEFENSE: The Fireflies have turned two more than any Carolina League team this season. Columbia has 13 double plays in 319 total chances in the field this year. The next closest in the Carolina League is Salem who has nine. The Fireflies have the second-most twin killings among Double-A, High-A and Single-A, all of whom started a week later than Triple-A. The Frisco Rough Riders pace the group with 14 double plays.
ROCKING RONI: After recording no RBI in his first three games, Roni Cabrera has found strong production over his last four games. The outfielder has seven RBI over his last four games, thanks in large part to a grand slam he hit in the first inning of Sunday's game against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. His seven RBI are tied for the sixth-most in the Carolina League.
CHOURIO CRUISES: Thursday, Kendry Chourio spun 4.2 perfect innings in his second start of the year. He paces Fireflies arms with 10 strikeouts over 7.2 innings where he has a 2.35 ERA combined with a 0.65 WHIP.
SPECIAL RIVALRY: Tonight is the 205th matchup between the Fireflies and RiverDogs
Carolina League Stories from April 14, 2026
- Mathis's Three-Run Bomb Gives Pelicans Opening Night Win over Cannon Ballers 4-0 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Cremarosa Fans Nine, RiverDogs Fall to Fireflies in Extras - Charleston RiverDogs
- Early Offensive Outburst Gives Wilson Home-Opener Win - Wilson Warbirds
- Cabrera Comes Through Again in Extra Inning Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Jones Homers Three Times, FredNats Roll to Win in Opener Against Delmarva - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Cabral Dominates as Augusta Wins Home Opener - Augusta GreenJackets
- Fredericksburg's Offense Goes off on Delmarva in Series Opener - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Crawdads Take Series Opener 7-5 - Hickory Crawdads
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Charleston 4.14 - Columbia Fireflies
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