Fireflies Game Notes: May 23 vs. West Virginia (Game 45)
May 23, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (23-21) vs. West Virginia Power (24-18)
RHP Tony Dibrell (1-2, 3.92) vs. RHP Gavin Wallace (3-0, 4.01)
Wed., May 23, 2018 - Spirit Communications Park - First Pitch 11:05 a.m. - Game 45
LISTEN: Fox Sports Radio 1400 AM / ColumbiaFireflies.com / iHeartRadio App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
ABOUT LAST GAME: Edgardo Fermin played the hero twice on Tuesday. Fermin homered to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth and then whacked the game-winning base hit in the bottom of the ninth that propelled Columbia to a 5-4 victory. Fermin had arguably his best night, finishing with three hits, one of which his third homer of the year.
COLUMBIA, WE KNOW DRAMA: Tuesday was Columbia's fifth walk-off win of the season (all coming in the last three weeks). The Fireflies are one behind tying last season's walk-off win total (6).
*For more details on all five walk-off wins, see page 10
CLOSE SHAVES: Columbia and West Virginia have had the first two games of the series decided by a run. Nine of Columbia's last 10 games have been decided by two runs or fewer. It goes beyond just that:
- 16 of Columbia's 20 games in May have been decided by 3 runs or fewer
- Overall, the Fireflies have played in 24 contests (out of 44 total) decided by two runs or fewer this year
STREAKIN': Outfielder Raphael Gladu is currently on a 15-game on-base streak and has hit safely in his last 10 contests. Gladu is hitting .371 during the hit streak and is now one off tying the Fireflies record for consecutive games hitting safely (11 - Rigoberto Terrazas, 2018 & David Thompson, 2016).
STREAKIN' x 3: There have now been three different Fireflies this season to record on-base streaks of 15 games or longer:
1. 29, Jeremy Vasquez (April 5-May 6)* *SAL & franchise-best
2. 16, Scott Manea (April 21-May 12)
3. 15, Raphael Gladu (May 2-present)
WALK IT LIKE I TALK IT: The Fireflies are the only team in Minor League Baseball with three players leading their respective league in total walks:
South Atlantic League (Low A)
T-1. Blake Tiberi (COL) - 29 & Matt Winaker (COL) - 29
2. Jeremy Vasquez (COL) - 28
COLUMBIA'S GREATEST HITS: Scott Manea was hit by a pitch for the 13th time on Monday. He is second in all of professional baseball (MLB & MiLB) in HBPs, behind only San Antonio's (AA, SD) Ty France (18). Believe it or not, France was hit 3 times in a game on April 19 @ Midland.
South Atlantic League Stories from May 23, 2018
- Lowther Stellar as 'Birds Snap Skid - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Crawdads Swipe Three Bases in Loss to Delmarva - Hickory Crawdads
- Lexington Legends Drop Game Three to Rome Braves - Lexington Legends
- Brown Homers, But Hoppers Lose Lead Late - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Mitchell and Pope Homer in 6-5 Loss Wednesday - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Fireflies Surge Past Power on Wednesday - Columbia Fireflies
- Drive Game Story (): Drive Defeat Tourists on Wednesday - Greenville Drive
- Late Home Run Costs Tourists in Close Loss - Asheville Tourists
- DeRosier Dominates BlueClaws in 3-2 Win - Hagerstown Suns
- Execution of 360 Deck Project Begins - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Fireflies Game Notes: May 23 vs. West Virginia (Game 45) - Columbia Fireflies
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (May 23) - Charleston Dirty Birds
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