Zanon Returns, Columbia Pitchers Strike Out 17

COLUMBIA, SC - Although the Fireflies dropped the series opener to Kannapolis on Thursday, 8-5, Jacob Zanon put on a show in his return to the diamond. Because of an injury, Zanon hadn't appeared in game since April 10. On Thursday, the outfielder tallied three hits - one of which a two-run home run - scored twice and drove in three. It was his second three-hit game with Columbia (in just five games).
Despite a five-run Intimidators fifth inning, Columbia's pitchers were over-powering. Blake Taylor (8), Adam Atkins (2), Matt Pobereyko (3) and Joe Zanghi (4) struck out 17 hitters - a franchise record for a nine-inning game. Even more impressive, it ties the mark for most punch-outs in a game of any length. Columbia fanned 17 Charleston RiverDogs batters on September 4, 2016, but that was a 14-inning tilt.
Pobereyko signed with the Mets on Wednesday and joined the club Thursday morning. The right-hander struck out the side in his only inning of work.
Zanon led off the bottom of the first with a line drive single and whizzed to third when Andrés Giménez laced a base hit into center field. Next, Luis Carpio bounced into a double play, but Zanon scored from third.
Columbia (40-29) fell behind in the second. Sam Dexter bashed a two-run single and the visitors jumped ahead, 2-1.
The Fireflies began to rally after Kannapolis' (40-29) five-run fifth inning. Tim Tebow doubled twice on Thursday, one coming in the home half of the fifth. Zanon knocked him in with a base hit - one of the three RBIs for Zanon on the evening. Two innings later, the Beaverton, Oregon, native blasted a baseball over the left-field wall - a two-run homer. That pulled Columbia within three.
Later in the frame, Gimenez reached first on a dropped third strike and raced to second when the catcher's throw sailed wide of the first-base bag. A wild pitch allowed Gimenez to move to third and he scored moments later. Carpio rolled a dribbler to Kannapolis third baseman Zach Remillard. He bobbled the baseball and had no play at first. It was 7-5 after the Fireflies' three-run inning.
This is the closest the Fireflies would get. The visitors plated an unearned run in the ninth and Columbia went down in order in the home half.
The teams continue their four-game series on Friday at 7:05 p.m. Righty Harol Gonzalez (4-4, 4.11) starts for Columbia and faces Intimidators lefty Bernardo Flores (7-4, 3.13).
You can watch the action on MiLB.tv starting at 7:00 p.m. or listen in on ESPN Columbia 94.9 FM and 1230 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and on the TuneIn app starting at 6:45 p.m.