Fireflies Win with Five-Run Ninth-Inning Rally

ROME, GA - Nick Conti had appeared in just five games for the Fireflies before Friday's contest in Rome. With all the pressure on the second baseman's shoulders, and with his team tied with the Braves in the ninth, Conti delivered a two-run triple to give Columbia a 7-5 lead it would not relinquish. The Fireflies scored five times in the ninth to come back and beat Rome in the opener.
It was the second time this season the Fireflies rallied from at least three down in the ninth to win. On June 24, Columbia (27-33, 51-75) erased a four-run ninth-inning deficit in Lexington to win, 8-6.
And Conti was just one of the ninth-inning heroes on Friday. The inning began with the visitors down three and with Braves reliever Victor Vodnik (L, 1-2) on the mound. The righty had just logged three scoreless innings and had not allowed a Fireflies runner to reach scoring position. Chase Chambers bucked that trend with a lead-off double to left field, his second of the night. Shervyen Newton worked a key walk before Guillermo Granadillo singled to load the bases. All of a sudden, the rally was on.
After a mound visit, Vodnik was set to face Walter Rasquin . The right-hander plunked Rasquin on the arm with the third pitch of the at-bat which brought in Chambers from third. Phil Capra then ripped a two-run single to left to tie the score at 5-5. That was the final pitch Vodnik threw.
Gabriel Noguera was called upon out of the Rome (30-30, 60-69) bullpen. The lefty struck out Gerson Molina but would not have the same luck against Conti. The two-run triple was his first of the season.
Allan Winans converted his 10^th save of the season with a scoreless bottom of the ninth. The win helped Columbia improve its record to 14-6 against the Braves this season.
Columbia never led until the ninth on Friday. Rome scored first and in bulk in the fourth inning. Fireflies starter Daison Acosta had heaved three scoreless innings before the first five batters reached safely to begin the fourth. Rome cashed in when Michael Harris knocked in a run with a single and Brendan Venter doubled in a pair with a screamer down the left-field line. The bases stayed loaded with no one out with Jeremy Fernandez at the plate. During the at-bat, Acosta hurled a wild pitch to the back stop, enabling Harris to score.
Acosta showed some resolve, though, by retiring three of the next four hitters. Rome wound up batting around and plating four in the inning but it could've been worse. Acosta then closed out his outing with a scoreless fifth.
Columbia punched right back, too, in the top of the fifth. The Fireflies tallied consecutive singles against starter Alan Rangel to start the frame, one from Granadillo and another from Rasquin. Capra then singled to load the bases.
That brought up Molina. His speed helped him beat out a potential 6-4-3 double play. It also earned him an RBI when Granadillo scored from third. Quite nearly the same play occurred moments later when Conti clocked a ground ball to Greg Cullen at second base. Rasquin scored from third as Cullen flipped to second base. Dansby Swanson's heave to first was late and the Fireflies found themselves down 4-2 after five and half innings.
Columbia fell behind by three the next inning. Justin Dean went yard in Willy Taveras' (W, 6-11) first inning on the slope. The solo homer was Dean's ninth of the season.
Taveras earned the win thanks to Columbia's ninth-inning rally. Taveras roared back and shut out the Braves in the seventh and eighth innings.
And, yes, Dansby Swanson did play in Friday's game against the Fireflies. Swanson, Atlanta's starting shortstop, and Braves outfielder Austin Riley both made rehab starts for Rome.
Game two of the series between Columbia and Rome is scheduled for 6:05 ET on Saturday at State Mutual Stadium. Right-hander Colin Holderman (3-2, 3.99) is slotted to face Braves lefty Mitch Stallings (1-0, 0.00), who defeated the Fireflies on Sunday, August 18.
You can tune into the action at FirefliesLiveStream.com.