Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 8.21
Published on August 21, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster.
SS Connor Rasmussen has been added to the active roster
INF Angel Acosta has been placed on the injured list
Rasmussen will wear jersey #29. The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30.
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The Fireflies continue their series with the Augusta GreenJackets tonight at SRP Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Jose Gutierrez (0-4, 6.04 ERA) takes the slab for Columbia and RHP Kendy Richard (1-1, 2.29 ERA) counters for the GreenJackets.
The Fireflies come home for their final homestand of the regular season August 26-August 31 at Segra Park. The team has plenty of great promotions on tap for the week, including their annual Pack the Park charity game Tuesday, August 26, Grateful Dead Night with a t-shirt giveaway is Friday, August 29 and Bluey Night presented by Scout Motors is set for Saturday, August 30. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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BATS BOOM BEHIND STRONG PITCHING IN 6-1 WIN: The Columbia Fireflies bats cruised behind a four-pitcher effort that didn't see an earned run score as the Fireflies beat the Augusta GreenJackets 6-1 Wednesday night at SRP Park. Columbia's big push came in the top of the fifth. Asbel Gonzalez got things rolling with a two bagger to left field. After that, Luke Nowak drew a walk and both runners came around on a Jose Cerice base knock to right that gave Columbia a 3-1 lead. Later in the inning, a wild pitch brought Cerice home to make it a three-run lead. In the seventh, Dionmy Salon and Asbel Gonzalez reached on a hit by pitch and a walk before a Luke Nowak single scored the pair to make Columbia's advantage 6-1. With the pair of runs scored, Asbel Gonzalez has now tied the Fireflies single season runs scored record.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT: David Shields put together another good start for the Fireflies Tuesday. The southpaw worked 5.1 frames without surrendering an earned run. The Pennsylvania native hasn't allowed an earned run since July 9 over 26.1 innings. It is the fourth-longest streak (by innings) without allowing an earned run in franchise history. Ryan Ramsey owns the record (30.2 innings), which he accomplished from June 24-August 3, 2023.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Gonzalez has a chance to break the Fireflies career steals record in one season. Jean Ramirez had 68 steals from 2021-23 with the Fireflies. Gonzalez currently has the league lead with 65 steals. Columbia's center fielder isn't far from the single-season franchise runs scored record either. Erick Torres set the mark with 70 runs scored last year. Gonzalez has scored 70 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.
DAR-WIN RODRIGUEZ: Last night the Fireflies guaranteed a series split with the first place Pelicans and it all started with Darwin Rodriguez spinning four scoreless innings in his debut. The righty worked around three hits and punched out six Pelicans hitters to set the tone for the Fireflies pitching staff.
NOWAK RUNNING OUT OF THE GATE: Luke Nowak is officially through his first week with the Fireflies and the outfielder started things off with a bang. He closed out his first series with a four-hit game vs the Pelicans Sunday. It was the Fireflies second four-hit game of the series. Nowak went 7-14 overall against Myrtle Beach at Segra Park. He kept the hot stretch going with a 3-6 with three RBI in two games against Augusta.
ARMS LEAD THE WAY: The Fireflies have won each of their first two games this week and a big part of it has been the pitching. Fireflies pitchers have not allowed an earned run in 18 innings this week. The club has 22 strikeouts on the run.
A TIGHT RACE: The Fireflies are 9-8 vs the Augusta GreenJackets this season. Overall Columbia has won 104 of the first 209 games the two clubs have played since 2016.
Carolina League Stories from August 21, 2025
- Pelicans Shut out RiverDogs 7-0, Stretch Winning Streak to Four Games - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- 'Dads Cruise to 10-2 Victory - Hickory Crawdads
- Pelicans Shut out RiverDogs Thursday - Charleston RiverDogs
- Augusta Bats Left Listless in Third Straight Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
- Gonzalez Sets Franchise Record in 6-3 Victory - Columbia Fireflies
- Shorebirds Lose First Game to Cannon Ballers - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mudcats and Salem Suspended Thursday - Carolina Mudcats
- Pelicans 2025 Playoff Tickets to Go on Sale Friday, August 22 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 8.21 - Columbia Fireflies
- Pelicans Outlast RiverDogs 8-7 in 11-Inning Thriller - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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