Fireflies Win Third Straight Against Augusta

COLUMBIA, SC (Fireflies) – Make it three wins in a row for the Fireflies against their Southern Division rivals. Columbia took down Augusta, 5-2, on Sunday night in game three of the series at Spirit Communications Park. Starter Chase Ingram collected his seventh win of the season and Eudor Garcia scorched his fourth home run of the year in the victory.

It didn’t take long for Garcia to launch his long ball. In the bottom of the first inning – after Vicente Lupo stroked a two-out single – Garcia blasted the baseball 465 feet, easily clearing the right-field wall. The home team grabbed the lead, 2-0.

The GreenJackets pushed a run across in the top of the third frame. Jean Angomas started the half inning and smacked a double to left field. Eventually Dillon Dobson used a double of his own to plate Angomas.

Columbia’s (22-34, 58-68) offense wasn’t done. Patrick Mazeika led off the last of the third with a base hit to right field. Lupo followed and drew a walk. Two batters later, Augusta (33-22, 69-56) lefty Grant Watson (L, 3-7) was removed from the game and replaced by right-hander Ryan Koziol. Fireflies third baseman Luis Ortega welcomed Koziol by smacking a two-run double off the left-field wall. Mazeika and Lupo easily scored, while Ortega snuck down to third base on the throw to the plate. Then, with Joe Tuschak batting, Ortega sprinted home after a passed ball by catcher Matt Winn.

From that point on, Ingram (W, 7-9) worked comfortably for the Fireflies. The righty from Wesley Chapel, Florida, pitched six innings of one-run ball and tied his career-high with eight strikeouts. Ingram’s seven wins are now tied for best on the squad with fellow workhorse Joe Shaw.

Jimmy Duff (S, 5) logged three innings out of the bullpen for Columbia. The right-hander allowed just two hits and one unearned run.

The series finale between Columbia and Augusta at Spirit Communications Park starts at 7:05 p.m. on Monday night. Righty Gaby Almonte (2-5, 5.14) toes the rubber for the Fireflies and opposes GreenJackets’ lefty Domenic Mazza (6-2, 3.44).

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.