Fermin Delivers Game-Winner in Extras
April 13, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
ASHEVILLE, NC - Columbia outlasted Asheville in extras on Thursday night. The Fireflies scored twice in the top of the tenth and defeated the Tourists, 7-5, at McCormick Field. It was the first extra-inning game - and win - for Columbia in 2018.
Asheville's Casey Golden tied the game in the sixth with a solo home run and the score stayed that way through the ninth. The 10th frame began with a runner - in this case Gio Alfonzo - placed at second base, per the new Minor League Baseball rules. Columbia (5-3) wasted no time taking full advantage of the regulation when Edgardo Fermin slashed his second extra-base hit of the night: a double that scored Alfonzo. Two batters later, Matt Winaker scored Fermin when he singled to right off of Tommy Doyle (L, 1-1) after a lengthy at-bat.
The home team would have no success against lockdown reliever Stephen Villines in the bottom of the 10th. The side-arm righty not only retired the side in order in the bottom of the 10th, but he set down all nine Asheville (1-7) batters he faced from the eighth frame on. Villines struck out five as well.
Columbia scurried out to a 5-0 lead after two innings. In the opening stanza, Quinn Brodey mashed a base hit (the first of three for the lefty) that scored Rigoberto Terrazas, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
The Fireflies batted around (for the fourth time this season) in the second and plated four runs. The inning was highlighted by Fermin's bases-clearing triple. Columbia has now recorded a bases-clearing triple in consecutive games (Walter Rasquin vs. Hagerstown, April 11).
Asheville used the home run ball to creep back into the game. Ramon Marcelino's three-run blast in the fourth pulled the home team within one. Golden's sixth-inning moon-shot tied the score.
Columbia actually left the bases loaded twice in the eighth and ninth innings before the heroics in extras. The Fireflies drew a franchise-record 11 walks on Thursday and a total of 24 baserunners reached safely.
The two teams meet again on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at McCormick Field. Southpaw Jake Simon (0-1, 1.50) makes his second start of the year for the Fireflies and faces Tourirts right-hander Garrett Schilling (0-0, 6.75).
You can listen to the action on FOX Sports Radio 1400 AM.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 13, 2018
- Crawdads Drop Game 2 against Power 6-4 - Hickory Crawdads
- Wallace, Cruz Pace West Virginia in 6-4 Win on Friday - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Drive Done in by Big Inning on Friday Night - Greenville Drive
- Nelson's Career Night, Sensley's Solo Shot Lift Dogs over Intimidators - Charleston RiverDogs
- Kannapolis Surrenders More Late Inning Runs to Charleston, Falls 2-1 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- 'Birds Rebound Behind Dominant Dietz - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Schilling and Gilbreath Pitch Tourists to 5-1 Win - Asheville Tourists
- Legends Fall to GreenJackets in Game Two - Lexington Legends
- Soto Homers as Suns Lose Third Straight - Hagerstown Suns
- GreenJackets Get First Win at SRP Park - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Pitchers Strike out Season-Best 12 on Friday - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireflies Game Notes: April 13 at Asheville (Game 9) - Columbia Fireflies
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (April 13) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hoppers Earn First Extra-Inning Win Under New Rules - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- GreenJackets Drop Home Opener - Augusta GreenJackets
- Legends Spoil Inaugural Game for GreenJackets at SRP Park with Victory - Lexington Legends
- Suns Fall in Extras 10-9 on Thursday's Home Opener - Hagerstown Suns
- Fermin Delivers Game-Winner in Extras - Columbia Fireflies
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