Acosta Does it Again, But Fireflies Fall

Daison Acosta

By Kevin Fitzgerald

August 17, 2019

COLUMBIA, SC - Fireflies starter Daison Acosta has now posted three straight terrific outings. The 20-year-old went six innings on Saturday against Rome and the only two runs that he surrendered were unearned runs. Columbia's offense went quiet, though, and the Fireflies had their six-game win streak against the Braves

COLUMBIA, SC - Fireflies starter Daison Acosta has now posted three straight terrific outings. The 20-year-old went six innings on Saturday against Rome and the only two runs that he surrendered were unearned runs. Columbia's offense went quiet, though, and the Fireflies had their six-game win streak against the Braves snapped after the 4-0 loss at Segra Park.
Columbia's (25-30, 49-72) still 13-5 against Rome (27-28, 57-67) this season. Coincidentally, the only Braves wins at Segra Park this year are shut-out wins (4-0 on Sat. and 11-0 on May 12).
Acosta (L, 1-3) has gone five or more innings in each of his last three starts and has allowed just one earned run in those 16.1 innings. His ERA is a microscopic 0.55 during that span.
Those two unearned runs came home against Columbia's righty in the sixth. Michael Harris first reached on a slow roller to Fireflies second baseman Nick Conti. He fumbled the ball when he reached for it in his mitt. Harris then moved to second on Greg Cullen's base hit.
Clean-up batter Bryce Ball plunked a single into right field which scored Harris and Rome was ahead, 1-0. A near double-play-ball-turned-error brought in another run. With runners at first and second, Hagen Owenby rolled a grounder to Brian Sharp at first. He threw out one runner at second, but the return throw to first was heaved wide of the bag. The error allowed Cullen to swing around third and score.
Rome plated two in the ninth when Brendan Venter homered to left.
Alan Rangel (W, 10-7) and Jake Higginbotham (S, 4) held the Fireflies to just four hits on Saturday.
Columbia can win the series still with a victory on Sunday. The finale is set for 5:05 ET on Sunday at Segra Park. You can expect to see right-hander Colin Holderman (3-1, 3.59) start for the Fireflies and take on lefty Mitch Stallings, who will make his South Atlantic League debut with the Braves.
The Fireflies fire truck will turn Segra Park into a water park on Sunday. It's a Future Scholar 529 Splash Sunday and the first 100 kids at the park will receive a free towel.