Vientos Impressive in Series at Kannapolis

KANNAPOLIS, NC - One constant during the week in Kannapolis was Mark Vientos' hot hitting. The Mets prospect notched a hit in all three games of the series including a couple extra-base hits. Even Vientos' efforts could not lead Columbia to victory in either game on Friday, though. The Fireflies dropped the series finale to the Intimidators, 3-1, just shortly after losing Thursday's suspended game that was completed earlier in the day, 6-4.
Vientos kicked the series off with his 11^th homer of the year on Wednesday. The slugger proceeded to collect two hits in the middle game, including a double, before finishing 1-for-3 at the dish in the finale.
The 19-year-old Vientos is hitting .258 with a team-best 11 homers and 53 RBI this season.
In the finale on Friday, the Fireflies got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Ronny Mauricio first reached on an error and swung all the way to third base after Vientos singled. Chase Chambers was up next and the clean-up hitter rolled a ground ball to Michael Hickman at first. Hickman tried to start a double play - which failed - but Chambers' fielder's choice brought home Mauricio.
It wasn't until after Colin Holderman finished up his four wonderful innings did the Intimidators knot things up. With one out in the fifth, Amado Nunez bashed a solo homer over the left-field wall. The score was tied, 1-1.
Holderman, in his first start back with Columbia (16-25, 40-67) since landing on the injured list in mid-June, didn't allow a hit in four frames. He walked just two batters.
The big back-breaking hit came in the sixth, though, with Kannapolis (21-20, 49-60) runners at second and third and one out. Romy Gonzalez lined a base hit up the middle that scored both runners and put the home team ahead for good .
The first game on Friday (which was the completion of Thursday's suspended game) didn't go smoothly, either. The game had been tied, 3-3, when it was initially suspended due to rain in the third inning on Thursday night. Willy Taveras and Devon Perez traded scoreless innings from the third until the sixth. Kannapolis sprung for two in that frame and took a 5-3 lead. The home team distanced itself from the Fireflies with one more run in the eighth. Columbia tallied just one hit past the second inning.
The Fireflies venture to Hagerstown, Maryland, to begin the first and only series against the Hagerstown Suns at Municipal Stadium. The four-game series begins at 6:05 ET on Saturday and the Fireflies aim to avenge a four-game sweep at the hands of the Suns from July 26-29.
You can listen to the action at FirefliesLiveStream.com.