P.J. Conlon Wins Seventh Straight Start
May 23, 2016 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
COLUMBIA, SC - The Fireflies were victorious over the Augusta GreenJackets on Monday night, 2-1, and the fans at Spirit Communications Park watched P.J. Conlon win his seventh straight start. The lefty is the only pitcher in Minor League Baseball this season to win seven consecutive starts.
To take it one step further, only Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox has a longer streak in all of professional baseball. Sale is 9-0 in nine starts.
On Monday, Conlon (W, 7-0) tossed 7.2 innings of one-run ball. He struck out seven for a second straight game - once again tying a career-high. His outing is also the longest for any Fireflies pitcher this season. Perhaps even more impressive, the native of Placentia, California, didn't yield a single walk.
Columbia (22-22) scored its first run off of GreenJackets starter Phil Bickford (L, 1-4) in the bottom of the first frame. Vinny Siena and J.C. Rodriguez collected singles and the two were at first and second when Pat Mazeika stepped to the plate. Mazeika bounced a pitch to first baseman Dillon Dobson who threw to second attempting to start the double play. Rodriguez was retired at the second base bag, but shortstop Lucius Fox's toss back to first base bounced wide and the error enabled Siena to score from third.
Rodriguez found himself back on the base paths in the fourth after he doubled to begin the frame. A passed ball moved him to third and Mazeika's sacrifice fly scored the Dominican Republic native.
The Fireflies 2-0 lead was cut in half in the fifth, though, when Matt Winn homered off of Conlon. That's the only long ball that Conlon has allowed in 51 innings this year.
Augusta twice had the tying run in scoring position in the eighth and ninth innings, but twice reliever Christian Montgomery struck out a GreenJacket hitter to end each rally and the game as well.
Jeff Diehl had a nice night at the plate - he reached base three times and doubled in the second inning.
The middle game of the series against Augusta is at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday. You can watch the action on MiLB.TV or listen in on WGCV 620 AM, 105.1 and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 7:00 p.m.
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South Atlantic League Stories from May 23, 2016
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