Fireflies Take Pitcher’s Duel 1-0

Columbia collects their eighth shutout of the season Monday

By John Kocsis Jr.

July 3, 2023

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies pitching staff held the Augusta GreenJackets to three hits and punched out 11 hitters as they won 1-0 at Segra Park Monday night. The win was Columbia’s eighth shutout of the season and their second 1-0 win of the year. The first 1-0 victory came

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies pitching staff held the Augusta GreenJackets to three hits and punched out 11 hitters as they won 1-0 at Segra Park Monday night.

The win was Columbia’s eighth shutout of the season and their second 1-0 win of the year. The first 1-0 victory came against Salem less than one month ago on June 9.

The Fireflies employed a bullpen game Monday evening and Samuel Valerio got things started on the right foot. The righty spun two perfect innings, fanning four GreenJackets before handing the ball off to Oscar Rayo (W, 2-0). Rayo worked through four innings, allowing only four baserunners while punching out four hitters.

Rayo left the game after throwing 74 pitches and allowing a soft single to right and walking the last batter he faced. Chazz Martinez (H, 1) entered the game to start the seventh, induced a 5-4-3 double play and stranded his two inherited runners. The southpaw spun in and out of a jam before he handed the ball to Wesley Scott (S, 2) who closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Jean Ramirez started out the bottom of the first with a charge. He mashed his third homer of the season to the right field corner to give Columbia a 1-0 lead. It was the Fireflies first lead-off homer since Jaswel De Los Santos hit one July 12, 2022 at Down East last season.

The Fireflies kick-off a series with the Charleston RiverDogs tomorrow night at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark at 6:35 pm. RHP Steven Zobac (1-1, 1.73 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Charleston counters with southpaw Alex Ayala Jr. (0-4, 4.54 ERA).

The Fireflies return home after the All-Star Break, for a three-game series vs the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers July 14-16. The Fireflies have jammed that weekend filled with amazing promotions for our first-ever Dinosaur weekend. Ed’s Dinosaurs will bring animatronic, life-sized dinosaurs to Segra Park, we’ll have a dinosaur bobblehead giveaway Friday and on Saturday we’ll set off a wonderful fireworks show. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.