Jones Earns First Pro Win in 8-7 Victory
April 18, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies' Tanner Jones in action
(Columbia Fireflies)
Kannapolis, NC- The Fireflies got their second five-inning start of the season and it was enough to earn a 8-7 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark.
Tanner Jones (W, 1-1) was masterful, spinning five innings of two-run baseball while setting aside six Cannon Ballers via the strikeout.
The Fireflies got some much-needed insurance in the seventh. With Jorge Hernandez at third and Ramon Ramirez at second, Brennon McNair mashed a double to the left-center gap to put Columbia in front 8-4.
Ramirez got on base via a double, extended his streak to five-consecutive games with an extra-base hit. It's tied for the longest streak in the Carolina League this season.
Henson Leal (H, 1) bridged the gap with 2.1 scoreless innings before Dennis Colleran eked through the ninth, stranding the winning run at second with a strikeout
Columbia hopped on the board first Friday night. Asbel Gonzalez started the game by extending he's hitting streak to nine games by flicking a single to right field. It didn't take long for the center fielder to swipe second. After advancing to third on a throwing error, Ramon Ramirez dribbled a fielder's choice to shortstop to plate Gonzalez and break the scoreless tie.
Gonzalez's single extended his team-best hitting streak to nine games on the season. He is 18-36 on the run with 14 stolen bases and nine runs scored.
The next inning, Kannapolis starter Gabriel Rodriguez set things up for the Fireflies bats. The righty walked three and hit one batter before recording his first out. Jorge Hernandez and Ramon Ramirez capped the inning off with back-to-back sacrifice flies combined with a throwing error that allowed Columbia to add four runs without a hit.
The bats weren't done there though. Giulliano Allende led off the fourth with a single. The outfielder stole second and came around on a Jorge Hernandez ground out to increase Columbia's lead to 6-0.
The Cannon Ballers started to charge back in the fifth inning. Tanner Jones allowed four-consecutive hits to start the inning, which allowed a pair of Kannapolis runners to score. In the sixth, Ismael Michel struck out three batters, but on a wild pitch for the third strike Ryan Burrowes made it safely to first. Before the end of the inning, two runs came around to score to cut Columbia's lead to a pair.
The Fireflies continue their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tomorrow night at Atrium Health Ballpark at 7:05 pm. RHP Blake Wolters (1-0, 2.25 ERA) gets the ball for the Fireflies and Kannapolis counters with righty Luis Reyes (0-2, 13.50 ERA).
Columbia closes out the month of April at Segra Park with some can't-miss promotions! The team is home from April 22-May 4 and will host USC Night presented by E.F. Martin April 24, Faith and Family Night presented by United Way of the Midlands April 26, Bluey at the Ballpark presented by South Carolina Department of Social Services May 3 and Star Wars Night presented by Founders Credit Union May 4. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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 Columbia Fireflies' Tanner Jones in action |
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Carolina League Stories from April 18, 2025
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- RiverDogs Victorious Despite Hickory's No Hitter - Charleston RiverDogs
- Jones Earns First Pro Win in 8-7 Victory - Columbia Fireflies
- Mudcats' Offense Explodes Late to Down Shorebirds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Offense Propels Mudcats to Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- Birds Even Series against GreenJackets with First Shutout of the Season - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.18 at Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Kannapolis Outhits Columbia in 7-5 Extra Innings Loss Tuesday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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