CarL Columbia Fireflies

Bosacker Delivers, Fireflies Fall to Salem

May 9, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release


Columbia Fireflies' Ethan Bosacker in action
Columbia Fireflies' Ethan Bosacker in action
(Columbia Fireflies)

COLUMBIA, SC - The Fireflies were led by yet another impressive pitching performance by Ethan Bosacker on Thursday night. Bosacker allowed a single run in six innings as he earned his second quality start of the season. Despite the good start, the Fireflies fell to the Salem Red Sox 5-3. Columbia is now 0-3 this season when their starters throw a quality start.

Bosacker has excelled against Carolina League hitters in 2024. In 30.2 innings pitched, Bosacker has only allowed four earned runs. That amounts to a 1.17 ERA, second only to Matt Wilkinson of Lynchburg among all qualified Carolina League hurlers.

Salem struck first in the score column. Jhostynxon Garcia socked his third homer of the season in the second inning. The round-tripper just barely hooked around the left field foul pole.

The Fireflies responded with a longball of their own in the fourth inning. Chris Brito launched a two-run homer that just scraped over the wall in left field. Derlin Figueroa, who singled prior to the Brito homer, also scored on the play.

The Red Sox took the lead in the sixth inning. Salem scored three runs, all unearned, off Fireflies reliever Eduardo Herrera (L, 1-1). Three walks and three errors committed by Columbia's defense flipped the score against the Fireflies.

JoJo Ingrassia (W, 2-0) earned the win for Salem after throwing three scoreless innings of relief. The lefty struck out eight Fireflies hitters and only allowed one baserunner, when Brito reached base via a walk in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Salem added another run to their total in the eighth inning. Nathanael Yuten placed a double down the left field line to score Freili Encarnacion from second base. The insurance run was enough to seal the game in Salem's favor.

The Fireflies had a chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the ninth. Derlin Figueroa started the frame with a bunt single. Next, Chris Brito reached on a fielder's choice before Austin Charles walked and Erick Pena singled and moved to second on an error to cut Salem's lead to 5-3. With runners on second and third and one out, Nathanael Cruz (S, 1) struck out Jhonny Perdomo and Gabriel Silva to close out the game.

The Fireflies continue their series with the Salem Red Sox tomorrow night at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Logan Martin (0-0, 6.23 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Salem counters with southpaw Noah Dean (0-2, 7.36 ERA).

The Columbia Fireflies continue their homestand tomorrow at Segra Park! The Fireflies will be celebrating the highest-drafted player in organization history. Southpaw Frank Mozzicato was selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft by the Kansas City Royals before setting the Fireflies all-time strikeout record. Friday evening, the first 1,000 fans through the gates at Segra Park will receive a Frank Mozzicato bobblehead thanks to Velocity Clinical Research. The game starts at 7:05 and the gates open at 6, so you'll want to get to Segra Park early so you can secure your piece of Fireflies history!

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Images from this story

Columbia Fireflies' Ethan Bosacker in action
Columbia Fireflies' Ethan Bosacker in action
   



Carolina League Stories from May 9, 2024


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