Brodey Bashes Pair of Doubles, Fireflies Fall

HICKORY, NC - Not many hitters in the South Atlantic League can keep pace with Quinn Brodey's power numbers. The Mets prospect doubled twice on Thursday in Hickory, but the Crawdads got the better of the Fireflies, winning 5-2 at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Brodey now leads the league with 24 RBIs and 16 extra-base hits (8 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs). The third round draft choice of the Mets from 2017 has also scored at least one run in seven straight games.  
It was Hickory (11-19), though, that flashed the most power as a team. The first two runs of the game were solo home runs by the Crawdads. Kole Enright smashed the first in the third frame and then Bubba Thompson followed with a strike in the bottom of the sixth.
The Fireflies scored its first run in the seventh thanks to a pair of extra-base hits. For a second straight night, Brodey ripped a two-bagger. Two hitters later, Ali Sanchez drove in his teammate with a double that he smoked down the left-field line.
The Crawdads then pulled back ahead by two with a score in the seventh and extended their lead to four with its third long ball of the night in the bottom of the eighth. This time, a two-run homer off of Sam Huff's bat just twisted inside the right-field foul pole.
Columbia (17-16) provided a scare in the ninth. Blake Tiberi kicked the inning off with his league-best 25^th walk of the season. He bolted to second base after a wild pitch and scored on Brodey's second double of the game. Matt Winaker later walked with two outs and all of a sudden, the visitors had the tying run at the plate. Hickory reliever Alex Speas (S, 3) retired Rigoberto Terrazas to end the game.
Wednesday's starters were sensational. Alex Eubanks (W, 2-3) and Tony Dibrell (L, 0-2) each pitched into the seventh innings. Dibrell fanned eight over 6.1 innings of work (a new season-high). The right-hander from Johns Creek, Georgia, has punched out at least six in all six of his starts in 2018.
Columbia concludes its series against Hickory on Friday with first pitch at L.P. Frans Stadium scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Righty Joe Cavallaro (3-1, 1.93) is expected to start for the Fireflies and face right-hander A.J. Alexy (1-2, 6.75) for the Crawdads.
You can listen to the game on FOX Sports Radio 1400 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 6:45 ET.