Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.19 vs Charleston
May 19, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their two week homestand today with a 5:05 game slated against the Charleston RiverDogs. LHP Hunter Patteson (2-2, 2.84 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Charleston counters with LHP Chris Villaman (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
Today is the last day of Copa de la Diversion weekend! Join the Fireflies as they become Los Chicharrones de Columbia at Segra Park. We'll have a pre-game player autograph session and post-game kids can run the bases thanks to Bang Back Pinball Lounge. Buy your tickets at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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FIREFLIES ERASE SIX-RUN DEFICIT IN DRAMATIC SATURDAY AFFAIR: The Fireflies were lifted up by the bat of Austin Charles in his first two homer game of his career in a 4-2 win over the Charleston RiverDogs Friday night at Segra Park. On the first night of Copa de La Diversion weekend, Charles smoked lead-off homers in the sixth and eighth innings that ended up being the difference maker for Los Chicharrones (19-16). It was Columbia's first two-homer game since Trevor Werner accomplished the feat August 22 last year in Carolina. Charles now has five homers and 26 RBI, which are both tied for the third-most in the Carolina League this season.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: The Fireflies bats have woken up as we head to the weekend. Two Fireflies players have had six game hitting streaks this week. Jhonny Perdomo started his stretch May 9 and it ended yesterday after going 7-20 (.350) during the run with one RBI. Derlin Figueroa's streak started a bit later, May 12, and he is 9-25 (.360) with one homer and five RBI, including his RBI triple last night that broke the scoreless tie in the third inning. Austin Charles owns the Fireflies longest hitting streak of the season, a nine-game stretch from April 10-23.
THIS HOMESTAND: Columbia has played 12 of the 13 games scheduled on their longest homestand of the season and they are currently sitting at 6-6 heading into the rubbermatch of the series against Charleston and of the homestand. The bats are hitting .219 and the pitching staff has a 3.00 ERA over the course of the last two weeks at Segra Park.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Tuesday, left-handed hitter Derlin Figueroa mashed his fourth homer of the season. It was a solo blast that produced the only run of the day for Columbia. All four of the infielders homers have come at Segra Park this year and all four of them have gone out to the right field lawn area. It's not just Figueroa who has found the long ball at Segra Park this year. The Fireflies have 22 long balls this season and 18 of them have come at the friendly confines.
A NEW HOPE: Ethan Bosacker, has the second-best ERA in the Carolina League, a 1.51 mark that is just .49 behind League leader Matt Wilkinson. Lynchburg's starter last pitched May 12 where he allowed one run over five innings of work. Bosacker is also third in opposing average (.181) and second in WHIP (0.81) in the Carolina League.
IT'S ALL ROSES HERE: Jarold Rosado has been great out of the bullpen this season. He has a 2.16 ERA after allowing a 10.38 ERA in 2023. His success continued in his five appearances (5.2 IP, 9 K) since the start of May. On the season, the young pitcher has worked 16.2 innings in 11 games. He has allowed four earned runs and punched out 23. The real secret to his success this year is that his walk rate is down from 16.7% in 2023 to only 4.4% in 2024.
POWERING PENA: Saturday night, Fireflies outfielder Erick Pena mashed his Carolina League-leading fourth round tripper of the season. He's currently eighth in the Carolina League with a .485 on-base percentage. Pena has had a storied career with Columbia. He made the Opening Day Roster in 2022 and started his career with a bang, launching a walk-off homer against the Augusta GreenJackets on Opening Night. All-in-all he has mashed 23 homers in the neon and navy, nine in 2022, 10 in 2023 and four this year. It places him second on the Fireflies all-time homer leadboard, behind Dash Winningham (25 in 2016 and 2017) and tied with Juan Carlos Negret (23 in 2021).
Carolina League Stories from May 19, 2024
- Carolina Mudcats Swept in Sunday Doubleheader - Carolina Mudcats
- RiverDogs Roll to Bullpen Day Victory and Series Win in Columbia - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Lose Finale 3-1 to RiverDogs - Columbia Fireflies
- Pelicans Fall 9-1 in Series Finale to Nationals - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Quintana Hits For The Cycle In 9-1 Victory - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Wood Ducks Sweep Double Dip - Down East Wood Ducks
- Hillcats Drop Series to Delmarva - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Woodpeckers Drop Both Games of Sunday Doubleheader - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Delmarva Survives Late Rally from Hillcats to Win Series Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Baumann's Stellar Start Not Enough as Jackets Fall in Extras 4-1 - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.19 vs Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
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