Patience Name of the Game in Rubber Match Win

COLUMBIA, SC – The Columbia Fireflies saw three walked batters come around and score when they defeated the August GreenJackets 4-1 to win the week-long series at Segra Park Sunday evening.

Emilio Marquez gave the offense a chance to get started with 4.1 scoreless innings where he allowed just a pair of hits. The lefty has now hurled 9.1 innings, while allowing only a single run in his two starts since coming out of the bullpen.

The bats started in the third inning. Jean Ramirez started the inning with a walk before Diego Hernandez legged out an infield single. Ramirez tried to advance to third on the play, but was tagged out. Then Rubendy Jaquez reached on an error, Herard Gonzalez walked and Saul Garza was hit by a pitch to break the scoreless tie. Omar Hernandez grounded into a bases loaded fielder’s choice to score Jaquez to put Columbia up by a pair before the conclusion of the third.

Burle Dixon led off the fourth with a walk before coming around when Diego Hernandez grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. The right fielder also drew a lead-off walk and scored in the sixth, this time from a Hernandez sacrifice fly to center. That brought the Fireflies to a 4-1 lead.

The lone run the Fireflies allowed was an unearned run while Mitch Ellis (W, 1-0) was working 2.2 innings and relief. The righty stranded a pair of runners that Marquez placed on the basepaths before handing the ball to Peyton Gray (S, 1) who both factored into the decision of the game in their Fireflies debut.

After the off-day, Columbia heads to Charleston, where they’ll play the first-place RiverDogs eight times in six days. The starters for Tuesday’s games have yet to be determined for both teams. For more information on the 2021 Fireflies season, visit ColumbiaFireflies.com.