COLUMBIA, SC - Guillermo Granadillo made the most of his second at-bat on Monday. The Venezuelan had yet to record a hit as a Firefly this season. That changed when he drove a fastball into left in the sixth inning. Granadillo also plated a run on that base hit. It
COLUMBIA, SC - Guillermo Granadillo made the most of his second at-bat on Monday. The Venezuelan had yet to record a hit as a Firefly this season. That changed when he drove a fastball into left in the sixth inning. Granadillo also plated a run on that base hit. It proved to be the only Fireflies run in a 5-1 loss to Hagerstown.
Columbia (15-23, 39-65) was swept by the Suns. It was the second time this season the Fireflies were swept in a four-game series (June 13-16). Columbia must now regroup after the off day and ready for a seven-game road trip starting Wednesday. The Fireflies will start the trip with three games against the Kannapolis Intimidators before finishing with four in Hagerstown (18-19, 48-59).
Bryce Hutchinson (L, 4-6) earned his third spot start of the season on Monday and didn't pitch half bad. He battled through five frames - a career-high - after allowing a run to the visitors in each of the first two innings. Hutchinson at one point retired six straight Suns hitters. The 20-year-old wound up surrendering just three earned runs over five.
Behind him was Willy Taveras who came out of the bullpen for the first time since April 20. Taveras pitched just fine and logged two scoreless frames.
Offensively was where Columbia lacked on Monday. The club tallied just five hits, two of which were collected by Brian Sharp. Sharp hit safely in all three games he played in in the series.
The Fireflies defeated starter Tomas Alastre (W, 4-10) twice during the 2018 season. On Monday, he exacted a little revenge on the Mets affiliate by logging five innings and allowing just the one run. Alastre punched out seven, one off his season high.
SCORING SUMMARY:
Top 1: Jackson Connell out on a sacrifice fly to center field, Jackson Cluff scores. HAG 1, COL 0
Top 2: Trey Vickers singles to right field, Israel Pineda scores from second. HAG 2, COL 0
Top 5: Armond Upshaw singles to left field, Vickers scores from second … Cluff out on a sacrifice fly to left field, Upshaw tags and scores from third. HAG 4, COL 0
Bottom 6: Guillermo Granadillo singles on a line drive to center field, Gerson Molina scores from second. HAG 4, COL 1
Top 8: With Jacob Rhinesmith batting, Cluff scores from third on a balk. HAG 5, COL 1
The Fireflies are off on Tuesday and start a three-game series in Kannapolis, North Carolina, on Wednesday at 7:00 ET. Right-hander Jose Butto (4-9, 3.86) is expected to face the White Sox-affiliated Intimidators. You can listen to the game on the TuneIn app.
