Asheville 7 - Columbia 1

Press Release:

ROME, GA – Raphael Gladu pushed the franchise-longest hit streak to 17 games with three hits on Friday night. This stretch matches the longest hit streak by a South Atlantic League player at this point in the season (Asheville’s Shael Mendoza – April 17 to May 10). The Fireflies fell 7-1 to the Braves in the series opener at State Mutual Stadium.

Gladu recorded two singles and a double in his first three-hit performance of the season. The 22-year-old holds a sizzling .377 batting average so far during this remarkable run.

Isranel Wilson started the offensive surge for Rome in the third inning. Wilson launched a two-run homer off Fireflies starter Anthony Kay (L, 2-3). The Braves added another run in the stanza and led 3-0 after three innings. After this rocky frame, Kay settled down momentarily on the mound. He struck out four of five batters from the third to the fourth inning. Rome’s (32-22) offense returned, however, and scored four runs in the fifth. Kay was responsible for three of these. The southpaw finished 4.1 innings, yielded six earned runs, and posted six strikeouts in his ninth start of the season.

Mike Soroka made a Major League rehab start for Rome and was sharp on the mound. The 20-year-old retired all 11 batters he faced (3.2 innings) and registered three strikeouts. Soroka left the game after he reached his 45-pitch limit and Columbia’s (28-24) offense presented a small threat with two outs in the fourth frame. Ali Sanchez reached on a fielding error from Rome’s third baseman Jean Carlos Encarnacion. After Quinn Brodey walked, Braves reliever Hayden Deal escaped and got Matt Winaker to fly out to center field.

Despite the loss, the Fireflies produced a couple strong performances from the bullpen. Jeff Diehl made his return to Columbia and tossed a flawless frame in the seventh. Diehl, also a member of the Fireflies from 2016, struck out the side on just 16 pitches. The 24-year-old is in the process of transitioning to a pitcher after spending the last several years as a position player. Yeizo Campos also pitched a scoreless inning in relief. The righty hasn’t allowed an earned run in 12 frames this season.

The Fireflies scored their lone run in the top of the ninth. Rigoberto Terrazas knocked in Brodey with a single into center field and broke up the shutout.