Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Hickory 6.18
Published on June 18, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies wrap-up their first-half slate with a 7 pm showcase against the Hickory Crawdads tonight at L.P. Frans Stadium. RHP Ryan McDonagh (debuts) takes the hill for Columbia and Hickory counters with RHP Jesus Lafalaise (1-5, 5.68 ERA).
The Fireflies return home for 12 games in 13 days from June 30-July 12. The team will celebrate America's 250th birthday with the biggest fireworks show of the year, Saturday, July 4 and will continue with fireworks and a patriotic theme all weekend thanks to SC 250. The next weekend, the club is throwing it back to the 90s for the return of the Capital City Bombers thanks to Cassell Brothers Home Services. Join the team for a bobble plane giveaway Friday, July 10 and a drone show Saturday, July 11. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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NOVAS HITS FIRST BLAST OF THE SEASON AS FIREFLIES FALL 9-5: The Fireflies bullpen gave up five runs in the final two innings after Darwin Rodriguez worked six frames as Columbia fell 9-5 to the Hickory Crawdads Wednesday afternoon at L.P. Frans Stadium. The Crawdads took their lead in the bottom of the seventh. Jhon Reyes (L, 1-2) allowed five of the six batters he faced to reach and surrendered four runs while recording one out in the frame. Paulino Santana dealt the fatal blow. The centerfielder clobbered his seventh homer of the season to give Hickory an 8-4 lead. Hickory scored their final run in the bottom of the eighth. Marcos Torres knocked a lead-off double to right and scored on a sacrifice fly from Jhocsuanth Vargas. The Fireflies got one back in the top of the eighth inning. Sean Gamble pulled a one out double to right field and came around on an Ivan Sosa single to left to cut Hickory's lead to 8-5.
STERLING STARTERS: The Fireflies starting rotation has the third-best ERA in Minor League Baseball this season. The group has recorded an 11-12 record combined with a 3.42 ERA over 278.2 innings through the first 65 games of the season. Fireflies starters have 289 strikeouts and have held opponents to a .237 AVG on the season. The Jupiter Hammerheads lead the way with a 3.28 ERA over 274.1 innings in their first 65 contests.
LUMINOUS LOMBARDI: Michael Lombardi has been a master of the strikeout this season. Friday, he etched six strikeouts across 4.2 innings of work. Lombardi has the second-most strikeouts (74) in Single-A over 46.1 innings of work. Palm Beach's Cade Crossland is first with 78. Lombardi has the second-best K/9 rate in Minor League Baseball among pitchers with at least 45 innings this season (14.37). Seth Hernandez leads the way at 15.04. Lombardi also has the fourth-best strikeout percentage in Minor League Baseball among players with at least 45 innings pitched this season. Arkansas's Kade Anderson leads the way. He has struck out 43.2% of batters faced this season.
THE SKINNY: When the Fireflies beat the Hickory Crawdads and the Charleston RiverDogs beat the Wilson Warbirds Tuesday, the RiverDogs officially clinched the First-Half South Division Championship. After Thursday's game at Hickory, the 66-game second-half slate will begin. Columbia will play their fist nine games of the second half on the road, but after that, the club will play 18 of its next 21 games at Segra Park.
HIP HIP, JOSE: Tuesday, Jose Gutierrez worked seven innings and allowed three runs off five hits while striking out four Hickory Crawdads. It was the righty's third-consecutive quality start. The last time a Fireflies pitcher spun seven or more innings came in 2024. Jonatan Bernal worked seven frames in a 9-0 drubbing of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Pelicans Ballpark August 14. In the month of June, Gutierrez is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA. He has 17 strikeouts and only one walk across 19 innings to combine with a 0.84 WHIP.
IT'S HOT IN COLUMBIA: The Fireflies have won eight of their last 10 games dating back to June 5. The club turned on the heat in June after finishing both April and May below .500. Columbia carries a 10-4 record over the first half of their June slate.
ROLLING RONI: Over his last 10 games, Roni Cabrera has kicked it up a notch. The outfielder is hitting .343 with six walks to give him a .429 on-base percentage. He has scored nine runs and driven in eight on the tear.
Carolina League Stories from June 18, 2026
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Hickory 6.18 - Columbia Fireflies
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