Fireflies Offense Erupts In 8-3 Win Over Suns

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Fireflies erupted for a season-high 16 hits en route to an 8-3 victory over the Suns in the series opener Monday night. Edgardo Fermin , Blake Tiberi , Jeremy Vasquez , Rigoberto Terrazas , Walter Rasquin , and Scott Manea all collected multi-hit games. Columbia is off to a 3-2 start in 2018.
The offense ignited for the home team in the second inning. Terrazas led off the frame with a single. Moments later, Rasquin dropped down a bunt and Hagerstown's starting pitcher Jackson Stoeckinger threw it wide of first base. That allowed Terrazas to advance to third and Rasquin to second (Rasquin was awarded a single and then moved to second on the throwing error). The next batter, Manea, wasted no time and belted a first-pitch, two-run double into the outfield, scoring Terrazas and Rasquin.
The hits continued to pile up. Gio Alfonzo smashed a run-scoring double and plated Manea. In the blink of an eye, the Fireflies held a 3-0 edge after just four batters came to the plate. Vasquez capped off the scoring frenzy in the second with a two-run blast over the right-field wall - his first homer of the season. Columbia finished with six runs on six hits in the frame. This is already the second time this season the club has pushed six runs across in one inning. Columbia did this on Friday against Augusta.
The squads each traded two runs in the third inning. Columbia held an 8-2 lead from the start of the fourth until the top of the eighth. Kameron Esthay launched a solo home run for the Suns, but that was all the visitors had left in the tank.
Chris Viall completed four innings and registered six strikeouts in his Fireflies debut. Right-hander Nicolas Debora picked up the victory out of the bullpen. Debora tossed two scoreless frames and had two strikeouts. On the other side, Stoeckinger was roughed up and only lasted three innings. The southpaw absorbed 12 hits and eight runs.
The Fireflies and Suns clash once again in game two of this series on Tuesday night. Columbia sends righty Marcel Renteria to the mound and Hagerstown counters with righty Brigham Hill.
You can listen to the action live on Fox Sports Radio 1400 in Columbia or watch the game on MiLB.tv.