Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.22 vs Carolina
April 22, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off a 12-game homestand this morning with an 11 am contest vs the Carolina Mudcats. RHP Yunior Marte (0-0, 3.38 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Carolina counters with LHP Wande Torres (0-0, 3.86 ERA).
Today is an Education Day and the only day game of the year! WLTX's weather team is coming to teach students about the science behind weather. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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CABRERA'S FIRST HOMER LIFTS FIREFLIES OVER KANNAPOLIS: The Columbia Fireflies used an eighth inning solo homer from right fielder Roni Cabrera to beat the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4-3. Cabrera came up with a pair of outs and no one on the basepaths before smashing his first homer of the 2025 season off Carlton Perkins (L, 1-1). The Fireflies' bullpen closed out the night strong. Jordan Woods (W, 1-1) spun four, one-run innings to allow the bats to take the lead before Fraynel Nova (S, 1) closed the door with a scoreless ninth inning.
SPEED, I AM SPEED: Asbel Gonzalez swiped one more base Saturday, adding to his MiLB leading total. The center fielder has 20 stolen bases. The next closest is Lynchburg's Tommy Hawke, who has 15 steals. If that weren't enough, Gonzalez is also riding the team's longest hitting streak, a 10-game stretch that began April 8. On the run, he is 19-40 (.475) with 15 stolen bases and nine runs scored. It is the Fireflies longest hitting streak since Derlin Figueroa hit safely in 13-consecutive games from May 12-26, 2024. The hitting streak is the second-longest hitting streak in the Carolina League this year, trailing just the Pelicans' Leonel Espinoza who hit in 11-consecutive games from April 6-18.
NO PROBLEM WITH INHERITANCE: Sunday, Ismael Michel stranded the only two inherited runners that the bullpen saw. So far this season, Columbia's pen has stranded 24 of 27 runners (89%) they've inherited from the previous pitcher.
CLUTCHING UP: In Kannapolis, two batters seemed to come through each time the Fireflies had a pair of outs. First, Roni Cabrera had six RBI off three hits and a sacrifice fly in seven chances with a pair of outs. Each of his three hits gave Columbia a lead when they were either tied or trailing. Not to be outdone, Brennon McNair was 2-4 with four RBI, a double and a homer with two outs.
BATS BUSINESS IS BOOMING: Columbia is second in the Carolina League in batting average (.260) and is third in stolen bases (48). The Fireflies also have the second-fewest strikeouts in the Carolina League (128). They trail the RiverDogs who have only punched out 125 times this season.
SCORING FRENZY: Colton Becker is on a role for the Fireflies. Not only does the infielder have a hit in four-straight games, but he has also scored a run in each of his last four contests. The righty has a .474 on-base percentage and has come around five times since the streak began April 17 at Kannapolis.
LOVING LEAL: Henson Leal is back for his second season in the Soda City. The righty had a 4.87 ERA in 12 games for Columbia at the end of the 2024 season. This year, he has thrived in his role, spinning 10 innings across five games to the tune of a 0.90 ERA. Leal is holding opponents to a .128 average and has only issued a pair of free passes this year. The righty hasn't had a save opportunity yet this year, but he did earn his first hold of 2025 thanks to 2.1 hitless innings in relief Friday evening.
HOME, SWEET HOME: The Fireflies pitching staff has been markedly better at Segra Park rather than away from home this year. The team has a 3.50 ERA in 54 IP at home as opposed to a 5.56 ERA over 79.1 innings on the road.
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