Columbia Fireflies at Augusta Game Notes
Published on May 8, 2021 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Today, the Fireflies will face-off with Augusta at 6:05 pm at SRP Park. LHP Rylan Kaufman (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will toe the rubber for Columbia and Augusta will send righty Joey Estes (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the bump.
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EIGHT RUN FOURTH PROPELS FIREFLIES TO BIG WIN: The Columbia Fireflies bats came to life in an eight-run fourth inning that led to an 12-2 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets Friday night at SRP Park. The fourth inning marked the first time since the first inning of a July 3, 2019 bout with the Greenville Drive that the Fireflies (2-2) scored eight runs in a single frame. Jake Means started off the fourth with a walk before Gabriel Rodriguez (L, 0-1) came in to try to keep Augusta (2-2) in front 2-1. Instead, the righty allowed a bunt single from Diego Hernandez that moved Means to third. Means scored on a wild pitch before Tucker Bradley walked to get aboard.
SWIPER, WE'RE SWIPING: Last night the Columbia Fireflies stole a franchise record 10 bases in their 12-2 victory over the Augusta GreenJackets. Tucker Bradley, Maikel Garcia and Tyler Tolbert all swiped multiple bags in the effort. Prior to last night, the Fireflies had just two stolen bases in their first three games.
ARMS FLEXIN' ON GREENJACKETS: Despite allowing eight runs, seven of which were earned, in the series opener, the Fireflies pitching staff has been on a tear. In the first game of the season, they fanned a franchise-record 18 hitters, and in the doubleheader Thursday, they allowed only one run in 13.2 innings of work. A.J. Block wrung up a Fireflies-most eight hitters in just four innings in game two. So far this season, the Fireflies have 52 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. Last night, they were able to set down an additional 16 batters via the strikeout. The bullpen led the way there as both Christian Cosby and Marlin Willis fanned five batters in the final five innings of the game.
MOVING ON UP: After scoring in the first inning of the first game of the year, the Fireflies went 17 innings without scoring a run. To add to that, they were one hit in the first game of the season and in the second game of the season, they managed just three hits to combine for four hits in 16 innings at the plate. Since then, they've been on a tear, getting 22 hits in the next 16 innings. Their offense peaked in the fourth inning last night as the team scored eight runs in a single inning for the first time since July 3, 2019 when the Fireflies accomplished the same feat in the first inning against the Greenville Drive. The Fireflies also scord 12 runs in a game for the first time since they defeated the Lexington Legends 12-5 April 14, 2019.
DYNAMIC TRIO TO LEAD 2021 SQUAD: The Columbia Fireflies have three top-30 prospects from the Royals' farm according to MLB.com. The are RHP Ben Hernandez, SS Brady McConnell and OF Darryl Collins. Hernandez was picked in the second round of the 2020 draft out of De La Salle Institute. The 18-year-old managed to wring up 67 batters in just 45 innings while maintaining a 1.80 ERA in his final year at De La Salle. He brings a mid-90's fastball to the table and pairs it with one of the top change-ups in the 2020 draft class. Those familiar with SEC baseball will remember McConnell. The former Florida Gator terrorized SEC pitching in 2019, hitting .332 and knocking 15 homers, the most for any shortstop in program history. He also drove in 48 RBI. Collins was named after famed Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry, and his game certainly mirrors the way he plays. As a 15-year-old in his hometown Spijkenisse, Netherlands, Collins had a .418/.510/.532 slash in the country's top professional league. After being signed by Kansas City, he went state-side in 2017 and reached base safely in his first 24 games, rocking a very similar slash in the Arizona Rookie League, .398/.472/.548.
Carolina League Stories from May 8, 2021
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- Columbia Fireflies at Augusta Game Notes - Columbia Fireflies
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