Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Kannapolis 5.5
Published on May 5, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off a series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at Atrium Health Ballpark at 6 pm. RHP Blake Wolters (1-1, 1.66 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Blaine Wynk (0-0, 3.95 ERA).
The Fireflies return home May 12 for a six-game series with the Hickory Crawdads. The homestand will include Touch a Truck Night, May 15 with big rigs throughout the ballpark and a hard hat giveaway for the first 1,000 in attendance thanks to E.F. Martin. The club will also host Star Wars Night presented by O.B. One Communications Saturday, May 16. Stick around post-game for a galactic fireworks show. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIVE-RUN FIRST PUSHES FIREFLIES TO VICTORY: The Columbia Fireflies rallied behind a five-run first inning to beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 7-3 Sunday night at Pelicans Ballpark. Columbia took back-to-back games against Myrtle Beach to close out the six-game set. The Fireflies bats got off to a hot start Saturday. Henry Ramos singled to start the game and after that, Pelicans starter Luis Reyes (L, 0-1) walked five-consecutive Columbia Fireflies. With the Fireflies leading 3-0, Roni Cabrera lined a single to right that plated Brooks Bryan and Sean Gamble to make the score 5-0 before the end of the top of the first inning. Kendry Chourio got his first start in the month of May and worked through 3.2 innings. After 48 pitches, the righty had only one blemish. He allowed a solo homer from Derniche Valdez in the third that cut Columbia's lead to 5-1. Chourio tallied four strikeouts before handing the ball to the Fireflies bullpen.
STERLING STARTERS: The Fireflies starting rotation has been one of the best units in professional baseball this season. After the first four full series of play, the Fireflies rotation is 2-5 with a 3.34 ERA over 105 innings this season. Their ERA is the 13th-best in Minor League Baseball. The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels lead the way with a 2.42 ERA over their first 89.1 innings as a group.
STARTING OUT: Fireflies left fielder Henry Ramos has turned the corner in a big way since moving to the lead-off spot. Ramos is 16-42 (.413) with two doubles, a triple and a homer combined with six RBI over 10 games in the lead-off spot. Ramos has the fourth-best average as a table setter amongst MiLB players who have led-off at least 10 games. Las Vegas's Henry Bolt leads the way with a .411 average across his first 12 games batting first for the Aviators.
BLISTERING BRYAN: With a ninth inning single Sunday, catcher Brooks Bryan now has hits in seven-consecutive games. Columbia's backstop is tied for the third-longest active hitting streak in the Carolina League. He is batting .259 (7-27) with a double and five RBI on the stretch. Bryan has the fourth-best Fireflies average, leads the club in RBI (20) and is second in slugging (.500) this season.
ROCKING RUSSELL: Stone Russell is in his second season as a super utility player for the Fireflies. The infielder has played third, second and first so far this season. Heading into the series against the Kannaplis Cannon Ballers, Russell has played 23 games without an error this season, which is tied for the second-best mark in the Carolina League. Hector Osorio leads the way with 25-game streak.
CHOURIO CRUISES: Sunday, Kendry Chourio continued his strong start in his second season in the Carolina League. The Venezuela native spun 3.2 one-run innings with four strikeouts. The righty was recently added to MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list. He is currently listed as the 97th-best prospect. With the news, 2022 Fireflies catcher Carter Jensen has graduated from Pipeline's Top 100 List and 2024 catcher Blake Mitchell currently sits in the 67 slot. It's the second time in three years Columbia has had an active member on the list.
BOOKING BASORA: After a tough start to the 2026 season, Andy Basora has rebounded in a big way for the Fireflies. The reliever has now tallied four-consecutive appearances without allowing a run.
Carolina League Stories from May 5, 2026
- Escobar Launches Second Homer, Pelicans Down Crawdads 7-5 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Myrtle Beach Sneaks Past Crawdads 7-5 - Hickory Crawdads
- RidgeYaks Explode for 12 Runs in Series-Opening Victory over Delmarva - Salem RidgeYaks
- Woodpeckers Grab First Shutout Victory of the Season - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Three Columbia Home Runs, 15 Strikeouts Burn Kannapolis in 7-2 Loss Tuesday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- FredNats Drop First Walk-Off of Season 4-3 to Hill City - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Dauri Fernandez Walks off Fredericksburg in Series Opener - Hill City Howlers
- Bodine Notches Three Hits, RiverDogs Fall 6-3 to GreenJackets - Charleston RiverDogs
- Cabral Spins Gem as Pavos Salvajes Take Comeback Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Wolters Dominant Start Leads Fireflies to 7-2 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Warbirds Drop Series Opener at Fayetteville - Wilson Warbirds
- Harrison Bodendorf Named April Carolina League Pitcher of the Month - Hill City Howlers
- Caden Bodine Named Carolina League Player of the Month - Charleston RiverDogs
- Walks Haunt Shorebirds in Series-Opening Loss to RidgeYaks - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Kannapolis 5.5 - Columbia Fireflies
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