Columbia Fireflies: Roster Move and Game Notes 5.29 vs Fayetteville
May 29, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster move affecting the Fireflies active roster:
* RHP Augusto Mendieta has been added to the Fireflies active roster.
Mendieta will wear jersey #18.
There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30.
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The Fireflies continue their series with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm RHP Yunior Marte (3-2, 3.02 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Fayetteville counters with RHP Leomar Rosario (0-0, 2.57 ERA).
Tonight is Country Night on a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday. Fans can enjoy a pre-game country concert and have $1 Busch Lights and $3 Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and fountain sodas at concession stands. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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STRONG START FALLS FLAT IN 7-4 LOSS: The Fireflies offense came out of the gates strong with three in the first, but ultimately fell 7-4 to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers Wednesday night at Segra Park. Fayetteville rallied to tie the game in the fourth inning. Max Holy scored the first run of the game on an attempted double steal in the second. With the bases empty, Jason Schiavone slammed a solo homer to left field to bring the Woodpeckers within a run. In the fourth, Max Holy was hit by a pitch before coming around to tie the game 3-3.
SPEED, I AM SPEED: Asbel Gonzalez is now second in the Carolina League in stolen bases with 40 on the season. He trails Tommy Hawke, who has 45. Gonzalez is also second to Hawke for the most runs scored in the League (41). Gonzalez also has the league's second-best batting average with a mark of .303. Last Tuesday, Gonzalez became the first Fireflies player to hit a lead-off homer since Jean Ramirez did it at Kannapolis July 14, 2022. It was the center fielder's first homer of the season and the second of his career.
MASTER OF THE MISS: Yunior Marte's scoreless streak ended at 16.1 innings Friday. The righty still is among the League Leaders in a host of categories. He's sixth in ERA (3.02), ninth in strikeouts (41), fifth in innings pitched (41.2), fourth in opposing average (.207) and fifth in WHIP (1.10).
WHAT A START: David Shields is on a roll to start his Carolina League Career. The southpaw has allowed only one run across his first three starts (0.69 ERA) and has struck out 17 hitters over 13 innings of work (11.78 K/9). He is one of 15 pitchers 19 or younger in the Carolina League and is one of only two 18 year olds in the Circuit. He has the lowest ERA and BB% of any teen pitcher in the Carolina League and the highest K%. Among the whole Carolina League, he has the 8th-best ERA, the third best BB/9 IP (0.69), the 7th best K% (37.8%), the third-best BB% (2.2%), the eighth-best opposing average (.136) and the best WHIP (0.54).
HOME SWEET HOME: The Fireflies finished their 12-game homestand 9-3 against the Carolina Mudcats and Hickory Crawdads. The team has been red-hot at Segra Park this season, going 17-9 at home compared to a 8-13 record over their first 21 road contests of the 2025 season.
RAKING RAMIREZ: Saturday, Ramon Ramirez rewrote the Fireflies record book. He hit Columbia's first walk-off homer since Erick Pena homered May 3, 2023. He had the Fireflies first two homer game since he accomplished the feat April 13. He had Columbia's first five RBI game since he had a six RBI game April 13. He has also homered in back-to-back games for the first time since Brennon McNair did so April 19 and 22. Ramirez leads the Carolina League with nine homers and 39 RBI. He is also third in runs scored with 35. The back-stop is also on a 13-game on-base streak where he's batting .273 with four homers and 14 RBI. He has also drawn 11 walks on the stretch to buoy his on-base percentage to .421 on the run. He's one of four Fireflies to have a 13-game on-base streak this season.
I GUESS THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES: The Fireflies are 2-7 this season when they wear their navy blue uniforms. The team has played best in their neon uniforms this year. They are 7-2 when they wear the glowing uniforms.
Carolina League Stories from May 29, 2025
- Shorebirds Swept in Doubleheader against Crawdads - Delmarva Shorebirds
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- Play at the Plate Decides Hillcats Fate against Nationals - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Big Inning Lifts Mudcats Over Red Sox - Carolina Mudcats
- RiverDogs, Cannon Ballers Postponed Thursday - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Game Thursday, May 29 Postponed - Columbia Fireflies
- Adamczewski to 7-Day IL - Carolina Mudcats
- Thursday's Game against Augusta Postponed - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies: Roster Move and Game Notes 5.29 vs Fayetteville - Columbia Fireflies
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