Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.27 at Augusta
April 27, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies will play a doubleheader against the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park Thursday night, with game one scheduled to start at 5:05 pm. Columbia will send RHP Mauricio Veliz (0-0, 1.00 ERA) to the bump in game one and LHP Oscar Rayo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) in game two. Meanwhile, Augusta opts to go with RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (0-1, 5.06 ERA) in game one and RHP JR Ritchie (0-1, 7.11 ERA) in game two.
After the week on the road, Columbia returns home to face the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in a six-game set from May 2-7 at Segra Park. The week will see the return of Human Cannonball night, presented by Columbia College May 4 and our annual Star Wars Night, presented by Blanchard Machinery with a Mandalorian Jersey Auction May 6. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
---------------------------------------
THREE-RUN FOURTH LIFTS FIREFLIES OVER 'JACKETS: The Fireflies struck out 19 GreenJackets in nine innings, as they beat Augusta 3-2 Wednesday night at SRP Park. The pitching led the way again for the Fireflies (9-6). David Sandlin (W, 2-0) fanned a career-high 11 hitters in the first five innings, allowing a pair of runs in the first before setting aside 10 straight hitters. Then, Steven Zobac worked a trio of scoreless innings, striking out four GreenJackets (5-9) before handing the ball to John McMillon (S, 3) in the ninth. The nineteen strikeouts was one away from a franchise-best for the Fireflies. The 20-strikeout night was 12 days ago, April 14 in Charleston. The Fireflies bats got going in the fourth. After Lizandro Rodriguez reached first safely on a fielding error from Augusta first baseman Mahki Backstrom, Brett Squires smacked a double to right-center to score the second baseman. The next batter, Daniel Vazquez, laced a single up the middle to plate Squires and tie the game 2-2. Next, David Hollie slapped a two-out single to left field that allowed Vazquez to score.
CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD: After a career-high 11 punch-out performance April 26, David Sandlin paces the Carolina League with 31 strikeouts on the year. The next closest is his teammaate, Frank Mozzicato, who has fanned 26 batters and is due to start game one of Saturday's doubleheader scheduled with Augusta.
STERLING STARTERS: Through the first 15 games, Columbia's starting pitchers have been outstanding, allowing only 20 earned runs in 68.1 innings of work (2.62 ERA). The run includes 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings from Frank Mozzicato, Shane Panzini and David Sandlin from April 10-12. Mozzicato earned Columbia's first quality start of the season Tuesday, April 18 against Fayetteville and Panzini got the second one April 26. They've also punched out a combined 93 opposing hitters.
FRANKIE CURVEBALL: Kansas City's 2021 first-round pick has allowed only a single run in three starts for the Fireflies in 2023, fanning 26 hitters in 15 innings while holding opponents to a .200 average. Mozzicato set a franchise record with 13 strikeouts in a single game last Tuesday, breaking the previous record of 11 held by Tony Dibrell since April 26, 2018.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: The Fireflies bullpen has caught fire. Columbia's relievers didn't allow a run in 17 consecutive innings until they allowed a single run in the eighth Saturday night. The pen finished the night with one run across eight innings and has surrendered one run in its last 27 innings (0.33 ERA) The stretch has brought the club's bullpen ERA down from 5.85 to 3.47 for the season.
FIRST ONE FOR McMILLON: In his third season with the Columbia Fireflies, April 15, John McMillon came into game two of the doubleheader with a one run lead in the bottom of the seventh and closed out the game for his first professional save. It was the reliever's 41st appearance in professional baseball. Since earning the save, he has been able to add a win and a second save in consecutive appearances. This season he has worked six innings, striking out 11 hitters without ceding a run. If that weren't enough, in his save opportunity April 26, he wrung up four hitters in an inning, becoming the second Fireflies player to do so, joining Marlin Willis, who accomplished the feat in the eighth inning vs Myrtle Beach August 17, 2022.
Carolina League Stories from April 27, 2023
- Micro Brews Blast Cannon Ballers 7-1 in Zebulon - Carolina Mudcats
- Bad Bounce Results in Demoralizing Defeat for RiverDogs - Charleston RiverDogs
- Pelicans Erase Ninth Inning Deficit to Defeat RiverDogs 10-9 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Woodpeckers Drop Third Straight to Wood Ducks - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Freddies Light Up Lynchburg 13-4 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Hillcats Fall in Short, Wet Game - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Rain Washes out Second Leg of Thursday Doubleheader, GreenJackets Reschedule Upcoming Games - Augusta GreenJackets
- Fireflies Lose Game One of Washed Away Twin Bill - Columbia Fireflies
- Wood Ducks Hold 75th Anniversary Celebration for Grainger Stadium - Down East Wood Ducks
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 4.27 at Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
- Chavers Has Big Night, Pelicans Sweep Doubleheader with RiverDogs - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
