Fireflies Pick Up 3-2 Win over Asheville Saturday
COLUMBIA, SC (Fireflies) – The Fireflies jumped out to an early lead on Saturday and the pitching did the rest, helping Columbia to a 3-2 victory over Asheville. Starter Gaby Almonte picked up his second win of the season in front of 7,012 fans at Spirit Communications Park.
The home team scored early and often. In the first frame, Patrick Mazeika singled with two outs off of Drasen Johnson (L, 4-2). The rally continued with two more base hits, the second – thanks to Vicente Lupo – plated Mazeika.
Columbia’s (12-22, 48-56) lead stretched to 2-0 in the following inning. Enmanuel Zabala began his rampage with an RBI single that scored Luis Ortega. Two frames later, Zabala drove in another run increasing the lead to 3-0. The Fireflies’ center fielder is hitting .419 over his last 10 games.
That was all the support Almonte (W, 2-3) needed. The right-hander from the Dominican Republic notched his best start of the season, lasting seven innings and striking out a season-high six hitters.
The lone run he allowed came in the sixth when Brian Mundell drove home Mylz Jones with a single. Asheville (16-18, 50-53) added one more in the eighth and threatened in the top of the ninth. With the tying run at third base and two down, reliever Jimmy Duff (S, 1) forced Brendan Rodgers to fly out to right field to end the game.
Columbia can take three of four from the Tourists with a victory on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. The Fireflies send righty Joe Shaw (5-7, 4.66) to the hill to battle with right-hander Peter Lambert (4-8, 4.12).
You can watch the action on MiLB.TV starting at 5:00 p.m. and listen in on WGCV 620 AM and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app at 4:45 p.m.
