Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.11 vs Myrtle Beach
April 11, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Start your engines!
Because tonight is NASCAR Night presented by Darlington Raceway at Segra Park. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm and after the game, we'll have a post-game country concert starring Nashville singing sensation Reed Foley. Gates open at 6 pm and tickets are available at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
Tonight's pitching match-up features RHP Mauricio Veliz (0-1, 0.00 ERA) for the Fireflies and Myrtle Beach's RHP Ty Johnson (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
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FIREFLIES COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN 11 FRAMES: For the second-consecutive evening, the Columbia Fireflies were able to come from behind and tie the game in the ninth inning, but Wednesday night they were unable to walk away with the win as they fell 8-6 in 11 innings to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Segra Park. The Pelicans (2-3) scored three runs in the 11th off Fireflies reliever Chase Isbell (L, 0-1) to take the lead. Isbell surrendered three blooper singles and an Austin Charles error allowed two, unearned runs to score to give the Pelicans an 8-5 lead. Erick Torres roped a sacrifice fly to left to score Milo Rushford with one out and bring the score to 8-6 with a runner on first, but the Fireflies couldn't bring home another run off catcher Frank Hernandez (S, 1) in the 11th. Hernandez is the twin of Fireflies' career hits leader and 2021-23 catcher, Omar Hernandez.
OPENING DAY PENA: Erick Pena is something of an opening day legend at Segra Park. The lefty hit a walk-off three-run blast against the Augusta GreenJackets in 2022 for his first home opener with the club and he kept his bat rolling yesterday against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. The Fireflies only mustered three hits despite scoring six runs in the win, but two of the hits ended up being big homers for the club. Pena started the scoring with a two-run blast that plated Austin Charles and flipped the script, giving Columbia a 2-1 lead in the second. It was the club's first home run of the campaign. Pena continued his hot start with a 1-3 performance Wednesday.
COMING THROUGH A SECOND TIME: The Fireflies five-man rotation has completed their first circuit and the early returns have been mostly good. The rotation has a 5.06 ERA in 21.1 innings even after Wolters allowed four earned runs in just 3.1 innings last night in his professional debut. Mauricio Veliz is back on the mound Thursday after going five innings with nine punchouts and zero earned runs allowed in the opener at SRP Park last Friday.
THE NUMBER STANDS OUT: In a small sample size, the Fireflies have had a lot of trouble with runners in scoring position. The club is 7-58 (.121) when runners are at second or third across their first five games offensively. The club left a season-high 11 runners left on-base Wednesday night, including three in the eighth and ninth innings.
SPINNING ZEROS: The pen allowed their first earned run of the season in the club's fifth game and second extra inning contest of the season Wednesday. Through five games, the unit has a 0.73 ERA, allowing just two earned runs in 24.2 innings. They have also punched out 29 hitters and walked just nine so far this year. Jacob Widener has been the leader for the pen. Yesterday he got a strikeout to strand three inherited runners and keep the Fireflies within striking distance. The big lefty has spun 3.1 frames with seven punchouts this season while allowing a single hit. He's not alone in arms that have impressed though. Wednesday, Ethan Bosacker worked five one-hit innings while striking out five Pelicans hitters to allow Columbia to stay within striking distance.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: It's early, but the Fireflies have two hitters who have a top-10 batting average in the Carolina League. Daniel Vazquez has a .474 average, the second-best mark in the league and paces the circuit with a .615 on-base percentage. He has hits in four of five games played this year and has reached base safely in all five games. Erick Torres is riding a perfect 5-5 mark this season after going 2-3 with a walk last night. Torres is hitting .444, which is the sixth-best average in the Carolina League. He is also tied for third in the league with four stolen bases.
Carolina League Stories from April 11, 2024
- Jaworsky and Sherwin's First Pro Home Runs Propel Woodpeckers in Win over RiverDogs - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Fireflies Bounce Pelicans, 18-9, Thursday - Columbia Fireflies
- Delmarva Falls in Ten Innings - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs Blank Woodpeckers to Pick up First Road Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Batista Strikes out Eight in Third Consecutive Victory for Kannapolis Thursday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Strong Pitching Not Enough as GreenJackets Drop Fourth Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- FredNats and Hillcats Postponed Thursday - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Hillcats Game Postponed, Make up Game Scheduled for Saturday - Lynchburg Hillcats
- RiverDogs Return to the Joe with Big Plans for First Week-Long Homestand - Charleston RiverDogs
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.11 vs Myrtle Beach - Columbia Fireflies
- Pelicans Hang on for 8-6 Win over Fireflies in Extras - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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