Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 7.25 at Myrtle Beach
Published on July 25, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Fireflies active roster:
* INF Jose Cerice has been promoted to the Fireflies active roster
Cerice will wear jersey #0.
There are no corresponding moves. The Fireflies active roster now stands at 29.
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The Fireflies continue their series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans tonight at Pelicans Ballpark at 7:05 pm. RHP Jose Gutierrez (0-2, 8.18 ERA) takes the hill for the Fireflies and Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Jostin Florentino (2-1, 1.93 ERA).
The Fireflies return home for a series with the Fredericksburg Nationals July 29-August 3. The team will host Stand Up to Cancer Night Friday, August 1, Harry Potter Night featuring a Hogwarts House-themed sock giveaway Saturday, August 2 and 803 Night Sunday, August 3. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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ALBUS LEADS WAY TO 4-1 WIN: Columbia worked behind strong pitching from David Shields, Dash Albus and Nick Conte to secure a 4-1 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Thursday night at Pelicans Ballpark. The Fireflies got on the board first Thursday. Stone Russell legged out a lead-off triple in the second inning. The next batter, Hyungchan Um grounded out to short to plate Russell and break the scoreless tie. The Pelicans tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a Leonel Espinoza single, Espinoza got to third off a fielder's choice and a fielding error from Josi Novas. While Eli Lovich was at the plate, David Shields tossed a pick-off attempt away from first to allow Espinoza to score and tie the game 1-1.
MASTERFUL MARTE: Sunday, Yunior Marte continued his solid start to the 2025 campaign. The 6'5" righty spun his third quality start of the year. He ranks among the Carolina League Leaders in most significant pitching statistics including ERA (4th, 2.31), opposing average (2nd, .188) and WHIP (2nd, 0.95). In his first full-season in the Carolina League, Marte has looked the part as Columbia's ace.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Saturday, Asbel Gonzalez stole four bases in a single game for the third time this year. In the third inning, he usurped Tyler Tolbert's 2021 single season stolen base record when he swept his 50th base of the season. Tolbert had 49 steals in 51 tries across 80 games in Columbia. Gonzalez is second in the Carolina League to Tommy Hawke, who has 63 swipes this season. Gonzalez also has a chance to break the Fireflies career steals record. Jean Ramirez had 68 steals from 2021-23 with the Fireflies. Columbia's center fielder isn't far from the single-season franchise runs scored record either. Eric Torres set the mark with 70 runs scored last year. Gonzalez has scored 61 runs heading for the final full month of the season.
NUMBERS BEHIND THE CLINCH: The Fireflies finished the first-half 36-30 to win the South Division Title for the first time in team history. It is the Fireflies first playoff berth in team history. The club will play their first home playoff game September 11 at Segra Park.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT: David Shields put together another good start for the Fireflies Thursday. The southpaw worked four frames without allowing an earned run. Since the start of July, Shields has a 1.20 ERA in four starts with 15 innings under his belt. The lefty has 13 strikeouts and a 0.93 WHIP on the run. He is one of six Fireflies pitchers with an ERA beneath 1.50 during the month. The other five are Yimi Presinal, Yeri Perez, Julio Rosario, Nick Conte and Jordan Woods.
FINDING THEIR GROOVE: Hyungchan Um and Stone Russell have both started to take off the last few weeks and have a batting average of .280 during the month of July. Russell has done it over 16 games with three doubles, two triples and eight walks to buoy his on-base percentage to an even .400. Um has done it over 15 games with one round-tripper, one double and eight walks. The next closest every day hitter on the roster is Henry Ramos, who is batting .214 in July.
SNAPPED: Last night the Fireflies broke their six-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Pelicans.
Carolina League Stories from July 25, 2025
- FredNats Shut Out Again, Lose 5-0 to Fayetteville - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Late Rally Sends Kannapolis Past Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Salem Holds off RiverDogs Despite Late Rally - Charleston RiverDogs
- Shorebirds Fall to Hillcats in Back-And-Forth Game - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Sox' Offense Erupts For 13 Hits In 6-5 Win Over Charleston - Salem Red Sox
- Late Rally Squashed in 10th Frame - Columbia Fireflies
- Crawdads Pitch and Pop Their Way to 5-2 Win - Hickory Crawdads
- Pelicans Edge Fireflies, 5-4, in Extra-Inning Thriller - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Homestand Preview: July 29-August 3 - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 7.25 at Myrtle Beach - Columbia Fireflies
- GreenJackets Homestand Preview 7/29-8/3 - Augusta GreenJackets
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