Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Fredericksburg 7.4
Published on July 4, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Fredericksburg Nationals tonight at Segra Park at 6:05 pm. LHP Darwin Rodriguez (3-5, 4.43 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Fredericksburg counters with RHP Marlon De La Cruz (0-1, 2.30 ERA).
Tonight is the Fireflies Independence Day Celebration presented by SC 250. Segra Park will host the City of Columbia's official fireworks show after the game and during the game, fans can enjoy $2.50 hot dogs and $5 red, white and blue domestic beers (Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Bud Light). Reserve your seat now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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LOMBARDI REGAINS SINGLE-A STRIKEOUT LEAD IN 8-3 LOSS: Michael Lombardi struck out six to regain the Single-A strikeout lead as the Fireflies fell 8-3 to the Fredericksburg Nationals Friday night at Segra Park. Fredericksburg retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Rafael Ramirez Jr. hit a two out single and Dashyll Tejada took the next pitch beyond the left field fence off Jhon Reyes (BS, 5; L, 1-3) to reverse the script and give Fredericksburg a 3-2 advantage. Tejada struck again with a solo shot in the eighth inning to increase Fredericksburg's lead to 6-2. Tejada is the second Nationals player with a two homer game this week. Hunter Hines had two homers in Tuesday's game. The FredNats also scored a pair of runs in the seventh. Manuel Cabrera was hit by a pitch and came around on a Gavin Fien double.
STERLING STARTERS: The Fireflies starting rotation has the second-best ERA in Minor League Baseball this season. The group has recorded a 15-17 record combined with a 3.40 ERA over 346.2 innings through the first 79 games of the season. Fireflies starters have 350 strikeouts and have held opponents to a .235 AVG on the season. The Fireflies trail just the Fredericksburg Nationals who sit at 3.31 through 282.2 innings pitched this season. As a whole, the Fireflies staff has the fifth-best ERA in Minor League Baseball at 4.04.
LUMINOUS LOMBARDI: Michael Lombardi has been a master of the strikeout this season. Friday, he etched six strikeouts across five innings of work. Lombardi has the most strikeouts (92) in Single-A over 60.1 innings of work. Rancho Cucamongo's Dylan Jordan and San Jose's Keyner Martinez are tied for second with 91. Lombardi has the second-best K/9 rate in Minor League Baseball among pitchers with at least 60 innings this season (13.72). Seth Hernandez leads the way at 14.59. Lombardi's K% is third among the same group (35.8%), trailing first place Kade Anderson (41.4%).
POWER OUTAGE: The Fireflies bats have struggled the first half of the series against the Fredericksburg Nationals. The club has a .245 batting average on the season, but have started the series hitting just .207 in their first four games. Columbia entered the week with the fourth-ranked team batting average in the 12 team circuit.
SLOW START: After starting the season 18-12 in their first 30 games, Columbia had to wait until their 10th game of the second half to play a game at Segra Park. Across their first four second-half contests at home, the club is just 1-3 against the Fredericksburg Nationals. Columbia has eight more home contests before the All-Star break and is in the midst of a stretch where they will play 36 of 45 games at Segra Park.
RISPY BUSINESS: The Fireflies enter today's game tied for third place in the Carolina League with a .259 batting average with runners in scoring position. The Fredericksburg Nationals lead the way with a .269 average. Over the course of the last week, Columbia's bats have slowed down though. The team is hitting just .220 (9-41) with runners in scoring position over their last six games.
LET FREEDOM RING: Tonight starts the Fireflies Independence Day Weekend Celebration at Segra Park presented by SC 250. The club will have a post-game fireworks show each of the next three nights.
Carolina League Stories from July 4, 2026
- Lumpuy's Four-Hit Night Not Enough, Pelicans Pinched by Crawdads, 7-4, on Independence Day - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- RiverDogs Jump on Shorebirds Early in a Lopsided Defeat - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Wilson Rockets 12 Hits in Holiday Win - Wilson Warbirds
- De La Cruz Delivers Early Fireworks in Howlers' Victory - Hill City Howlers
- Quiet Bats Squander Polo's Brilliant Start in Saturday Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
- RiverDogs' Bats Ignite in Fourth of July Blowout - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gamble Mashes Two Extra-Base Hits in 7-1 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats Fall 4th of July Game, 7-2, to Fireflies - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Fredericksburg 7.4 - Columbia Fireflies
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