Fireflies Pitchers Strike out Franchise-Record 17 in Series-Opening Win
April 16, 2018 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
GREENVILLE, SC - Chris Viall, Darwin Ramos and Carlos Hernandez were just about unhittable on Monday night in Greenville. The trio punched out 17 Drive hitters - tying a single-game franchise record - and led Columbia to a 7-1 series-opening victory. The Fireflies have now won all four series openers to begin the year.
Columbia (7-4) previously struck out 17 Kannapolis Intimidators on June 22, 2017. Monday's game started with a good omen when Viall (W, 1-0) struck out the side in the first. Viall alone fanned 11, a new career-high for the right-hander. He allowed just two hits and one run en route to his first victory of the year.
The Fireflies now lead the league in strikeouts with 117 in 11 games.
Columbia wasted no time providing run support for its starter. Edgardo Fermin singled off of Alex Scherff (L, 0-2) in the first inning and moved to second when Blake Tiberi walked. Fermin then raced to third after Matt Winaker bounced into a double play. Moments later, the 19-year-old scored from third on a wild pitch.
Greenville (3-8) tied the score in the bottom of the fourth only to watch the visitors retake a lead the following frame. The three-run fifth was highlighted by Jay Jabs' RBI triple - the Pennsylvania native's first extra-base hit of the year. Jabs later scored on another wild pitch and Quinn Brodey knocked in the inning's third run.
Columbia's offense wasn't done in the eighth. After Brodey tripled to lead off the inning, Walter Rasquin ripped a two-run home run over the replica Green Monster in left to give the visitors a 6-1 advantage. It was Rasquin's first dinger of the year.
Winaker knocked in Columbia's seventh run in the top of the ninth with a single through the left side of the diamond.
All 10 Fireflies hitters reached base safely in Monday's game (including Tiberi and Jeremy Vasquez, who both increased their on-base streaks to 10 straight games). On the flip side, all nine Drive hitters struck out at least once.
Columbia faces Greenville again at Fluor Field on Tuesday night starting at 7:05 p.m. Righty Marcel Renteria is scheduled to toe the rubber against Drive southpaw Jhonathan Diaz. The Fireflies clinch their third straight series win with a victory on Tuesday.
You can listen to the action of that game on FOX Sports Radio 1400 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 6:45 p.m.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 16, 2018
- Intimidators Use 3-Run Sixth Inning to Sneak by Augusta, 4-2 - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Fireflies Take Down Drive in Series Opener - Greenville Drive
- Fireflies Pitchers Strike out Franchise-Record 17 in Series-Opening Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Snow Game Yields Tough Result - Asheville Tourists
- RiverDogs Drop Series Opener with West Virginia - Charleston RiverDogs
- GreenJackets bats go cold along with weather - Augusta GreenJackets
- Pitching Strong as Crawdads Pick up Second Win - Hickory Crawdads
- BlueClaws Fall 1-0 to Greensboro on Monday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Lexington Falls to Hickory in Game One - Lexington Legends
- Soto, Braymer Named SAL Player & Pitcher of the Week - Hagerstown Suns
- Fireflies Game Notes: April 16 at Greenville (Game 11) - Columbia Fireflies
- Lexington Legends to Hold Auditions for Friday Night Live - Lexington Legends
- Drive and Michelin North America Team up for HBCU Classic on Friday at Fluor Field - Greenville Drive
- Newest Yankee Pickup Matt McPhearson Joins RiverDogs - Charleston RiverDogs
- Suns-Shorebirds Rained out on Monday - Hagerstown Suns
- Shorebirds Series Opener in Hagerstown Postponed - Delmarva Shorebirds
- West Virginia Power: Game Notes (April 16) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Fireflies Seek Candidates for 2nd Annual Military Baseball Card Set - Columbia Fireflies
- Greenville Drive and Michelin North America Celebrate 11th Year of Reading All-Stars Program - Greenville Drive
- Brewer Makes MLB Debut with Padres on Thursday - Charleston Dirty Birds
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