SAL1 Columbia Fireflies

Offense Powers Fireflies to Fifth Straight Win

Published on May 6, 2018 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release


COLUMBIA, SC - The Fireflies won their fifth straight over the BlueClaws, 10-7, behind a monster offensive performance on Sunday afternoon at Spirit Communications Park. Columbia mashed a season-high 17 hits and tallied six of its runs in one frame for the fifth time this season. Every Firefly recorded at least one hit and five players produced multi-hit games.

The home team trailed 5-4 after five and a half innings and then the bats exploded in a memorable bottom of the sixth. Edgardo Fermin demolished a solo home run to lead off the stanza and tied the contest. Moments later, Blake Tiberi reached on a fielding error from outfielder Yahir Gurrola. The next seven batters (Quinn Brodey, Jeremy Vasquez, Ali Sanchez, Matt Winaker, Scott Manea, Raphael Gladu, & Gio Alfonzo) that came to the plate delivered with a hit. The first slugger in this stretch, Brodey, belted a two-run blast over the right-field wall. Brodey's home run was estimated at 428 feet and the ball left his bat (exit velocity) at 107 mph. Brodey has also homered in back-to-back contests. Winaker, Gladu, and Alfonzo each contributed to the party with an RBI single. The Fireflies finished with eight hits in the frame - a franchise record.

Columbia's historic inning flipped the switch and gave the club a 10-5 edge after six. For the second straight game, the Fireflies smashed two home runs in the same inning. Brodey and Alfonzo collected the long balls in the eighth frame on Saturday night.

The scoring frenzy began in the first inning for both squads. Lakewood jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first. Daniel Brito smacked an RBI triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly. Columbia responded immediately in the bottom half - Sanchez and Winaker each knocked in a run with a single. The BlueClaws answered with more offense in the second frame. Dalton Guthrie broke the 2-2 tie with a two-run shot over the left-field wall in the second inning.

The visitors took a 4-2 lead into the fifth and that's when the Fireflies displayed their resiliency. Vasquez started the frame with a solo home run and cut Lakewood's lead to just one. The 21-year-old finished a triple shy of the cycle and extended his on-base streak to 29 games. Later in the inning, Sanchez walked and Gladu drove in Sanchez with a single. The game was tied, 4-4, after five stanzas. Columbia outscored Lakewood 6-3 the rest of the way.

Chris Viall made his fifth start of the season for the Fireflies and lasted just two innings. The righty yielded four runs and issued four walks. Columbia's manager Pedro Lopez used four pitchers out of the bullpen. Darwin Ramos was the first reliever and tossed three scoreless frames with two strikeouts. Josh Payne, Aaron Ford, and Trey Cobb pitched the final four innings. This trio absorbed three runs and posted four strikeouts. Cobb closed the door in the ninth and picked up his fourth save of the season.

Lakewood and Columbia have combined for 36 runs and 68 hits so far in the first three games of this series. The Fireflies aim for the four-game sweep on Monday morning. First pitch against the BlueClaws is scheduled for 11:05 a.m. at Spirit Communications Park. David Peterson (1-0, 3.24) makes the start for Columbia and Ramon Rosso (1-0, 1.35) is on the mound for Lakewood. You can listen to the action starting at 10:45 a.m. on FOX Sports Radio 1400 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com, and the TuneIn Radio app. The game is also available to watch on MiLB.tv.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 6, 2018


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