Fireflies Notch Largest Comeback Win of the Season on Sunday Night
August 28, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies climbed back from a five-run deficit on Sunday and scored the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning to notch an 8-6 win over the Kannapolis Intimidators. Dash Winningham's two-run double in the top of the eighth broke a 6-6 tie and helped Columbia earn its third consecutive series win.
Patrick Mazeika - who blasted a game-tying three-run double in the sixth inning - started the eighth and scorched his second double of the game down the left-field line. Then Eudor Garcia singled to put runners at the corners for Columbia (27-36, 63-70). Soon after, Kannapolis (31-32, 55-78) righty Jack Charleston (L, 2-6) allowed Winningham's two bagger.
Once down 5-0 in the sixth frame, the visitors rallied and grabbed six runs to take a one-run lead. Vicente Lupo started it off with a base knock. The next batter, Milton Ramos, would stroke a base hit as well. After Tucker Tharp reached via an error to load the bases, a small hit parade unfolded. Dale Burdick and J.C. Rodriguez struck back-to-back, run-scoring singles. The bases remained filled for Mazeika. His double to right-center field emptied the bags and evened the score, 5-5. Two batters later, Joe Tuschak lifted a sacrifice fly to left field and plated Mazeika to put the Fireflies ahead, 6-5. In total, 11 Columbia hitters came to the dish in the sixth.
The Intimidators immediately tied it up again in the bottom half of the sixth. Antonio Rodriguez led off the frame and clubbed a solo home run over the right-field wall off of Columbia's Luis De Los Santos.
Winningham - in his only at-bat of the night - delivered the knockout blow in the eighth. The lefty slugger hit his team-leading 29th double and now has 65 runs batted in - also a team best - this season.
Garcia (6-for-13) and Mazeika (5-for-12) proved to be the most valuable hitters in the three-game series. The duo combined to drive in nine runs against Kannapolis.
Craig Missigman (W, 3-4) picked up the win after a scoreless seventh and eighth inning, plus Jimmy Duff (S, 6) recorded his sixth save of the year, striking out a pair of batters in the ninth.
Columbia enjoys an off-day on Monday and closes the 2016 season with a seven-game homestand, which starts Tuesday night at Spirit Communications Park. Lefty Kevin Canelon (6-10, 3.32) starts for the Fireflies. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. You can watch the action on MiLB.TV or listen in on WGCV 620 AM and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 7:00 p.m.
South Atlantic League Stories from August 28, 2016
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- Big Third-Inning Leads Columbia to Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Jackson Homers in Five-Hit Night as RiverDogs Power Past Hickory, 11-2 - Charleston RiverDogs
- WV Defeats Lakewood in Extras - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Big Third-Inning Leads Columbia to Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Rifaela's Blast Propels Shorebirds over Legends - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Claws Lose Late Lead, Fall 5-4 in 10 on Saturday at West Virginia - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Shorebirds Top Legends, 6-2 - Lexington Legends
- Guilbeau Squashes the Grasshoppers Bats in Game Two - Hagerstown Suns
- Six Run Lead Gives Augusta 7-2 Win - Rome Emperors
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