Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.19 at Charleston
April 19, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Charleston RiverDogs tonight at 7:05 pm at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. RHP Felix Arronde (1-0, 1.00 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Charleston goes with RHP T.J. Nichols (0-1, 9.82 ERA) on the bump.
The Fireflies return home April 23 for a six-game set with the Augusta GreenJackets at Segra Park. Friday, April 26 will be the inaugural Carolina Grits game at Segra Park. We're celebrating with a Grits bobble spoon giveaway. Get your tickets at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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FOUR-RUN EIGHTH PROPELS FIREFLIES TO VICTORY: The Fireflies offense rallied behind the bat of Erick Pena, who started the scoring in a four-run eighth that propelled Columbia to a 7-3 win over the Charleston RiverDogs at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park Thursday night. Blake Mitchell was the first to reach base in the eighth, drawing a walk off reliever Samuel Mejia (L, 0-1). Next, Austin Charles reached on a two out walk and both runners were able to advance to set the table for Erick Pena. Columbia's right fielder slapped a single down the right field line to plate the former two and get Columbia back in front 4-2. After a pitching change, Chris Brito drew a walk and then Lizandro Rodriguez smashed a double to left to score Pena and Brito, pushing Columbia's lead to 6-2.
YOU CAN COUNT ON CHARLES: After a slow start to the 2024 season, Austin Charles has put himself right back on top with the rest of the Carolina League Leaders. The Fireflies third baseman is riding an eight-game hitting streak that began April 10. During the run, he is 12-28 (.429) at the plate with one homer and an incredible 11 RBI. His streak has the eighth most RBI in the circuit this season, but Charles sits with 13, just three behind league leader Brandon Pimentel in Fredericksburg.
QUALITY BOSACKER: Ethan Bosacker became the first Fireflies pitcher to notch a quality start during the 2024 season yesterday. The righty has gotten off to a great push this year. After five scoreless frames from the bullpen in his first appearance of the year at Segra Park, yesterday he went six innings, allowing a single hit (a homerun) while punching out seven. He's tied for the team lead with 12 punchouts and has a 0.81 ERA this year.
BLISTERING BULLPEN: Despite giving up the lead late Tuesday afternoon, the Fireflies bullpen has been a walking highlight reel for the 2024 season so far. The pen is 4-4 through its first 55.1 innings of work and has 65 punchouts while spinning to the tune of a 2.60 ERA. To put that into perspective, as a whole, the Fireflies have a 3.34 ERA this season, which is good for the fifth-best Single-A ERA. The top mark in the Carolina League belongs to the Augusta GreenJackets, who as a team have a 2.89 ERA. In other words, if you can get the game to the Fireflies bullpen with the lead, you're in good hands this year.
PUMMELING PENA: Yesterday, Fireflies outfielder Erick Pena hit his second round-tripper of the 2024 season. The third-year player has been on a roll recently. He has hits in seven of his last eight games and is hitting .286 (8-28) with both homers, nine RBI and five walks since April 9.
MARGIN OF VICTORY: It's wild to think about, but when the Fireflies have lost, they haven't lost by much. The club is 7-5 this season and of those five losses, four have been by a single run--with two coming in extra innings. Their fifth loss was also in extra innings, but it came by a pair of runs. This season, the Fireflies have the highest run-differential in the Carolina League as they have outscored opponents by 31 runs in their first 12 games.
I'M COMING HOME: This year, the Fireflies have a 2-4 record away from Segra Park, but the team has been hot at home, taking five of their six contest in the friendly confines.
Carolina League Stories from April 19, 2024
- Four-Run First Inning Enough to Outlast FredNats Friday - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Offense Stalls, Pelicans Drop Friday Night to Cannon Ballers 4-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Offense Stalls, Pelicans Drop Friday Night to Cannon Ballers 4-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Woodpecker Pitching Stifles Fredericksburg - Fredericksburg Nationals
- RiverDogs' Ninth Inning Comeback Falls Short in 3-2 Defeat - Charleston RiverDogs
- Down East Handles Delmarva on Friday Night - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Ninth Inning Implosion Causes Third Straight Loss to Mudcats - Augusta GreenJackets
- Down East Tops Delmarva - Down East Wood Ducks
- Rodriguez Go-Ahead Grand Slam in Ninth Powers Mudcats to Thrilling Win - Carolina Mudcats
- Bullpen Stymies Late Rally, Fireflies Win 3-2 - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.19 at Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
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