COLUMBIA, S.C. — Michael Lombardi notched his 100th strikeout of the season as the Fireflies lost the series finale against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4-3 in 10 innings at Segra Park. The Fireflies were able to win five of six games in the series and picked up a game on first-place Hickory in the standings over the course of the week.
In the top of the 10th, Nick McLain and Steven Lancia hit back-to-back singles to plate the placed runner, Matthew Boughton to give Kannapolis a 4-3 lead. Then when Columbia came to the dish, Josh Hammond bounced into a fielder’s choice to erase lead-runner Henry Ramos before Yandel Ricardo grounded into an inning-ending double play. Carlton Perkins (W, 2-0) earned the victory with 1.2 scoreless innings in relief. Then Randy Ramnarace (L, 0-4) was on the hook for the loss after giving up the single, unearned run in the 10th.
Angel Ramirez and Ivan Sosa drew back-to-back one out walks in the bottom of the third inning before Henry Ramos drove a single through to plate Ramirez and tie the game 1-1.
The next inning, Sean Gamble pulled his fifth homer of the season beyond the right field fence to give the team their first lead of the game. Next, JC Vanek doubled off the wall with no one out. Later, he advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a wild pitch that pushed Columbia’s lead to 3-1.
Michael Lombardi got the start for Columbia and spun four innings around one run. Lombardi struck out Nick McLain to close out the third inning for Columbia. It was his first strikeout of the game and his 100th of the season. The righty is the seventh Fireflies player to notch 100 strikeouts in a season and the first since Felix Arronde struck out 103 in 2024.
Kannapolis got on the board in the top of the third inning. Javier Mogollon doubled with two outs to start the rally before coming around on a Stiven Flores base knock to break the scoreless tie.
The Fireflies open up a new series with the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park Tuesday at 6:35 pm. Both teams have yet to name their starters for the series.
The Fireflies return home for a series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Tuesday, August 4 until Sunday, August 9. Head to Segra Park for Bluey at the Ballpark presented by Cassell Brothers Home Services with a live appearance from Bluey and Bingo Saturday, August 8 and Darlington NASCAR Night featuring $1.50 Budweisers and $1.50 hot dogs during the game. Buy tickets starting at just $6 at FirefliesTickets.com.