Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Kannapolis 6.26
Published on June 26, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Atrium Health Ballpark tonight at 7 pm. RHP Jose Gutierrez (4-2, 3.56 ERA) takes the slab for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Gabriel Rodriguez (2-0, 3.00 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.
-----------
HAMMOND GETS SECOND FOUR-HIT GAME IN 7-3 WIN: The Fireflies bats blasted through against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in a 7-3 win at Atrium Health Ballpark Thursday night. Columbia has now taken the first three games in the series. Columbia got the ball rolling in the third inning. Ivan Sosa started the frame after reaching on a two-base throwing error from Cannon Ballers' starter Truman Pauley (L, 1-7). After that, Josh Hammond doubled off the centerfield wall to move runners to second and third for Sean Gamble. The centerfielder lined a triple to right-center to score Sosa and Hammond and give Columbia a 2-1 lead. After that, Hyungchan Um grounded out to third to plate Gamble and make it 3-1 in favor of the Fireflies.
STERLING STARTERS: The Fireflies starting rotation has the second-best ERA in Minor League Baseball this season. The group has recorded a 14-14 record combined with a 3.39 ERA over 311 innings through the first 72 games of the season. Fireflies starters have 312 strikeouts and have held opponents to a .236 AVG on the season. The Fredericksburg Nationals lead the way with a 3.25 ERA through their first 72 games.
LUMINOUS LOMBARDI: Michael Lombardi has been a master of the strikeout this season. Sunday, he etched seven strikeouts across 4.2 innings of work. Lombardi has the second-most strikeouts (81) in Single-A over 51.0 innings of work. Palm Beach's Cade Crossland leads the way with 86. Lombardi has the second-best K/9 rate in Minor League Baseball among pitchers with at least 50 innings this season (14.29). Seth Hernandez leads the way at 14.60. Lombardi also has the third-best strikeout percentage in Minor League Baseball among players with at least 50 innings pitched this season. Hernandez also leads that group. has struck out 41.9% of batters faced this season.
SEAN IS SHOWING 'EM: Yesterday, Sean Gamble went 2-5 with three RBI vs the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. On the run, which began June 10 vs Delmarva, Gamble is batting .357 with nine steals. He has scored six runs and has driven in nine RBI during the streak. It is the Fireflies second-longest hitting streak of the season. Stone Russell has the longest hitting streak in 2026. He hit safely in 13-consecutive games from May 24-June 10, the day Gamble's hitting streak began.
HIP HIP, JOSE: Sunday, Jose Gutierrez worked a pair of innings and faced the minimum while striking out three Hickory Crawdads. It snapped the righty's three-game quality start streak. In the month of June, Gutierrez is 3-0 with a 2.14 ERA. He has 20 strikeouts and only one walk across 21 innings to combine with a 0.76 WHIP. With the run, Gutierrez now holds the sixth-best ERA (3.56) amongst qualifying pitchers in the Carolina League this season. Kannapolis' Max Banks leads the pack with a 1.84 ERA. He last pitched for the Cannon Ballers June 6.
MULTI-HIT HAMMOND: Yesterday, Josh Hammond went 4-4 with a double and two runs scored for the Fireflies. It was Hammond's second four-hit game of his career and his team-leading 19th multi-hit game of the season. Yandel Ricardo has the second-most multi-hit games this season (17).
BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS: After dropping the first three games of the second half to the Hickory Crawdads, the Fireflies have won three-consecutive vs the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers to return to .500 in the second slate.
Carolina League Stories from June 26, 2026
- Hernandez Notches Three Hits Again, Pelicans Drown RidgeYaks, 8-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Kannapolis Shut out by Columbia in Princess Night Defeat Friday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Crawdads Make It Seven with Seven - Hickory Crawdads
- Mateo Drives in Three to Power RiverDogs to 7-4 Victory - Charleston RiverDogs
- Shorebirds Lose Five-Inning Contest to Woodpeckers - Delmarva Shorebirds
- GreenJackets Can't Overcome Early Hole in Loss to Charleston - Augusta GreenJackets
- Ramirez Mashes Two Homers in 5-0 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Wilson, Fredericksburg Suspended - Wilson Warbirds
- FredNats and Warbirds Suspended Friday - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Generals Make 30-Year Return with Win over Shorebirds - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- RidgeYaks Unable to Overcome Early Deficit in 8-1 Loss to Pelicans - Salem RidgeYaks
- Columbia Fireflies Homestand Preview: June 30-July 12 - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Kannapolis 6.26 - Columbia Fireflies
- From Jeopardy to the Diamond, the Synchronized Hippos Are Here - Columbia Fireflies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
