After playing 18 games in 18 days the Fireflies along with the rest of the South Atlantic League took Monday off. The teams first off day had an effect in different ways, the Fireflies’ looked energized while the Legends (8-11) looked like they were enjoying their day off.

Columbia (11-8) pounded out eleven hits and lead 11-1 after four innings as the Fireflies routed Lexington 13-2. The route began with J.C. Rodriguez hitting his second homerun of the season over the right-field wall in the bottom of the second inning with Jeff Diehl on base.

In the bottom of the third inning Ivan Wilson led off the inning hitting a towering shot over the left-field wall onto the concourse. Tucker Tharp followed it up with a homer of his own, a line drive over the left field wall into the first row of seats for his first of the season. Tharp extended his hitting streak to nine game and his slashing .345/.361/.514 for the season.

Legends starter Nolan Watson (0-2, 13.50) only lasted into the fourth inning giving up eighth earned runs.

The fourth inning began with Vinny Siena being hit by a pitch (extended his on-base streak to 19 games), David Thompson got on base on a throwing error by Lexington shortstop Marten Gasparini. Columbia’s Dash Winningham walked loading the bases for Jeff Diehl. Two runs would come around to score on a routine ground ball that Diehl hit to third base.

Winningham has now hit safely in seven straight games and is batting .302 for the year. On Monday, he was named the Mets Minors Offensive Player of the Week.

Columbia starter Chase Ingram went six innings, allowing four hits, two of which came in first two innings and one earned run. Ingram also equaled a career high eight strikeouts. He is now 2-1 on the season with a 2.45 ERA and has struck out 28 batters in 22 innings.

The only bright spot for the Lexington Legends was Catcher Chase Vallot who went 2-4 with a solo homerun in the fourth inning.

The Fireflies came back in the seventh scoring their final two runs of the night. Vicente Lupo singled, Siena walked, than third baseman David Thompson lined a double into the left-center field scoring both runners. Siena leads the South Atlantic League with 18 walks while Thompson now has 21 RBI on the season which also leads the league.

Columbia’s bullpen of Christian Montgomery and Alex Palsha held the Legends scoreless over the last three frames. It was a much needed positive outing for Montgomery, who lowered his ERA to 6.00 with the two shutdown innings. Palsha ended the game with three straight strikeouts and now has a whopping 18 on the season in 9.1 innings.

The Fireflies will be going for their sixth win over their last seven games on Wednesday night against Lexington at 7:05 p.m. Lefthander P.J. Conlon (2-0, 1.08) goes for the Fireflies and the Legends will bring out left-hander Emilio Ogando (2-0, 2.57).