Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.26 vs Charleston
May 26, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Los Chiccarones de Columbia will open up Copa De La Diversion weekend presented by Southern Recipe Small Batch at Segra Park at 7:05 pm tonight. RHP Shane Panzini (1-3, 3.06 ERA) gets the rock for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP Jonny Cuevas (1-3, 7.31 ERA).
You'll want to get to Segra Park early tonight, as the first 1,000 fans in attendance will get a Los Chiccarones de Columbia Soccer Scarf, courtesy of Southern Recipe Small Batch. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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WALK-OFF WINNER CAPS SPECIAL NIGHT AT SEGRA PARK: Omar Hernandez stroked a single to right to score Erick Peña as the Fireflies won in walk-off fashion 3-2 in the 10th at Segra Park Thursday night. Hernandez's walk-off single was his second walk-off hit of the season, the fifth of his career for the Fireflies. He came up in the 10th with Erick Peña at second and two outs. Eduardo Herrera (W, 3-0) shut the door for Columbia, stranding the placed runner at second in the 10th and spinning a scoreless ninth to earn his third victory of the season. He piggy-backed off Samuel Valerio, who also tossed a pair of scoreless innings after a quality start from Frank Mozzicato, who fanned nine in six frames for Columbia. He leads the Carolina League with 64 punchouts.
COMEBACK KUDRNA: After a tough start to the year, the Royals number two prospect, according to MLB.com, Ben Kudrna has put together three consecutive impressive starts. The righty worked his first quality start of the season May 4 vs Myrtle Beach and prior to allowing a solo homer in the fourth inning May 10 at Salem, had a 14.2 inning scoreless streak. The streak was the longest scoreless streak for a pitcher in the Carolina League this season. He's 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA in four starts this May.
I'M LOOKING AT THE MAN IN THE MIRROR: David Sandlin and Frank Mozzicato have gone back-and-forth on the strikeouts leader board for the Carolina League this season. Thursday Mozzicato fanned nine to push his lead to 11 with 64 punchouts this season. Sandlin is second with 53 whiffs on the season.
MAGIC MOZZ: Frank Mozzicato has been on a tear this year. The southpaw is among the Carolina League leaders in nearly every category for a pitcher. After tossing back-to-back quality starts, he leads the League in strikeouts (64), Innings Pitcher (41.1), opposing batting average (.156) and is fifth in ERA (2.18) and sixth in WHIP (1.06).
PARAMOUNT PITCHING: The Fireflies pitching staff has been among the top pitching staffs in all of Minor League Baseball this season. After allowing only three earned runs in the first 28 innings of this series with the Charleston RiverDogs, the Fireflies team ERA is 3.12, that mark is second in the league, trailing Down East, who holds a 3.01 mark. It is the third-best team ERA in all of Minor League Baseball though. The only non-Carolina League team with a better ERA is the Tulsa Drillers, who have a ridiculous 2.78 ERA in their first 42 games of the season.
STREAKING SQUIRES: Brett Squires had a three-run homer Saturday, prior to the game being suspended and Sunday he launched a solo shot against the Fredericksburg Nationals. That set him up for his fifth-inning solo shot to right against Charleston Tuesday evening as Squires became the second Fireflies player to homer in three-consecutive games. He joined Jean Ramirez, who did so August 23-26, 2022. Squires is currently riding a five-game hitting streak, which is the longest hitting streak for Columbia this week.
SEARS-ING THE COMPETITION: Ben Sears has hit a hot stretch, notching three consecutive appearances with a save. The righty has a 1.80 ERA in May across 10 innings in five appearances.
1.5: Last night, the Fireflies welcomed their 1.5 millionth fan into the gates of Segra Park following the third inning.
Carolina League Stories from May 26, 2023
- Loftin Records Three Hits as Eighty Deuces Fall to Myrtle Beach - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Hedbert Perez Hits Walk-Off for First-Place Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Freddies Win Third Straight Over Red Sox - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Losing Streak Reaches Four as RiverDogs Drop Third Straight One-Run Contest - Charleston RiverDogs
- McCabe Homers Twice, Janas Drives in Four as GreenJackets Win Third Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Shorebirds Bounce Back With Shutout Victory - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Chicharrones Hold on in 5-4 Win Friday - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.26 vs Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
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