Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Myrtle Beach 8.9
Published on August 9, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans tonight at Segra Park at 5:05 pm. LHP Darwin Rodriguez (5-5, 3.60 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Anhuar Garcia (1-0, 2.95 ERA).
Tonight is a Kids Club Takeover Night presented by Bang Back Pinball Lounge. Members of the Fireflies Kids Club make the rules and get to play all the between innings games. All kids can run the bases after the game and the team will host a post-game autograph session thanks to E.F. Martin. Tickets are available starting at just $6 at FirefliesTickets.com.
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HAMMOND'S FOUR-HIT NIGHT PROPELS COLUMBIA TO WIN: The Fireflies used a four-hit game from Josh Hammond and scored the final five runs in a 10-8 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Saturday night at Segra Park. With the win, the Fireflies have taken four of the first five games of the week. This was Hammond's third four-hit game of the season, which gave him 115 hits on the season. The hits are the second-most in a single-season in Fireflies history. He trails only Ronnie Mauricio, who had 126 hits in the 2019 season for Columbia. Yeri Perez (W, 1-0) closed down the game for the Fireflies. He set aside the first six batters he faced and spun three scoreless innings while allowing a single hit. Perez wrung up four opponents to close out the night and earn his first victory of the season.
STERLING STARTERS: The Fireflies starting rotation has the top ERA in Minor League Baseball this season. The group has recorded a 23-22 record combined with a 3.73 ERA over 460.2 innings through the first 105 games of the season. Fireflies starters have 458 strikeouts and have held opponents to a .240 AVG on the season. The Frederick Keys have the second-best mark in MiLB with a 3.84 through 429.1 innings pitched this season.
LUMINOUS LOMBARDI: Michael Lombardi has been a master of the strikeout this season. Wednesday, he etched eight strikeouts over 4.2 innings of work. Lombardi is second in the Carolina League with 109 strikeouts. That's tied with Jose Butto for the fifth-most strikeouts for a Fireflies pitcher in a single season in franchise history. Tony Dibrell owns the Fireflies single-season strikeout record at 147. Kevin Canelon has the fourth-most strikeouts in a single season in franchise history. He wrung up 119 batters during the 2016 season.
THE GAMBLER: After a slow start to the season, Sean Gamble has turned the page and become one of the top hitters in the Fireflies lineup. Since May 21, Gamble is hitting .277 across 57 games. He leads the team in stolen bases (22) and is second in runs scored (41) and OPS (.831) during the stretch and is third in OBP (.395). He is also one of five Fireflies to notch at least five homers since May 21.
'NO' PROBLEM: In game two of Wednesday's doubleheader, Michael Lombardi and Jhon Reyes combined to throw the Fireflies second no-hitter in franchise history. The first came in the team's third game in their inaugural season April 9, 2016 at Charleston. Thomas McIlrath got the start and Alex Palsha and Johnny Magliozzi worked in relief in the nine frame no-no. Lombardi and Reyes faced three more than the minimum in the seven innings. Lombardi walked a pair and allowed one runner to reach on a strikeout wild pitch. Lombardi threw 4.2 innings with eight strikeouts and Reyes worked 2.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts.
HISTORIC HAMMOND: Josh Hammond has the second-most hits in a season in Fireflies franchise history. The infielder has 115 hits over his first 95 games including 22 doubles, three triples and five homers. The 115 hits trails only Ronnie Mauricio for Columbia. The current New York Mets infielder had 126 hits during the 2019 season.
CLOSING THINGS OUT: The Fireflies have won four of their first five games with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to climb within one game of second place in the South Division standings. Columbia will see Myrtle Beach one more time in a six-game series to end the 2026 season at Myrtle Beach.
Carolina League Stories from August 9, 2026
- Cruz and Conrad Lead the Way, Birds Take Getaway Game over Fireflies 10-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Gamble Extends RBI Streak to Seven Straight in Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs Drop Series Finale with Kannapolis in 3-2 Pitching Duel - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fred Nats Rally Late to Walk off Shorebirds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Eighth Inning Fuels 7-2 Victory over Augusta - Hickory Crawdads
- Jamison Jones Walks it Off, FredNats Beat Shorebirds 9-8 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Warbirds Fall in Finale, Settle for Series Split - Wilson Warbirds
- Walk-Filled Seventh Helps Howlers Split with Wilson - Hill City Howlers
- Eighth Inning Unravels as Jackets Lose Series to Hickory - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Myrtle Beach 8.9 - Columbia Fireflies
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