Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.29 at Kannapolis
Published on May 29, 2024 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at 7 pm at Atrium Health Ballpark. RHP Emmanuel Reyes (2-1, 4.91 ERA) takes the slab for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with RHP Jake Peppers (2-2, 3.28 ERA).
The Fireflies return to Segra Park June 4 to start a set with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Help the team unmask some villains Saturday, June 8 for Scooby-Doo! Night presented by Escapology. The club will also be giving away a piece of history, as the first 1,000 fans will receive a Tyler Tolbert Bobblehead Friday, June 7 thanks to SAFE Federal Credit Union. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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MARTIN COLLECTS FOUR INNING SAVE IN 5-4 WIN: The Columbia Fireflies used a four inning save from Logan Martin to hold the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in check in a 5-4 win at Atrium Health Ballpark Monday night. The Fireflies bats got started early. In the top of the second, Jhonny Perdomo tripled to plate Chris Brito to break the scoreless tie. Later in the inning, Brennon McNair singled to bring Perdomo around and push Columbia's lead to 2-0.After a Kannapolis score in the home half of the inning, Erick Torres slapped a lead-off single in the top of the third. Then Daniel Vazquez roped a two bagger to right to score the center fielder and make the score 3-1.
WE'RE GOING STREAKING: Derlin Figueroa's 13-game hitting streak, which started May 12, ended with an 0-4 effort Monday. He was 20-49 (.408) with three homers and nine RBI. His hitting streak was the longest active streak in the Carolina League and wasthe Fireflies' longest hitting streak since Eduardo Fermin hit safely in 13-straight contests from June 14-July 1, 2018.
MAY FLOWERS: After having some trouble in April, Logan Martin and Emmanuel Reyes have come into their own again in the month of May. Reyes recorded a 6.04 ERA with 23 punchouts in 25.1 innings in April before surging with a 3.00 ERA in his first three starts in May. He also has brought the swing and miss stuff, striking out 20 in his first 15 frames this month. Martin has a 1.35 ERA after a 6.23 ERA in April and has spun 20 innings after just 13 last month. The big difference for Martin has been limiting opponents hits, opponents are hitting .183 against him in May after hitting .288 against the righty in April.
A NEW HOPE: Ethan Bosacker, has the second-best ERA in the Carolina League, a 1.81 mark that is just .69 behind League leader Matt Wilkinson. Lynchburg's starter last pitched May 19 where he allowed one run over five innings of work. Bosacker is also fifth in opposing average (.185) and second in WHIP (0.81) in the Carolina League. Wilkinson was called up to Lake County May 22. Bosacker is one of four Fireflies pitchers who have logged enough innings to be in the top-10 innings eaters in the Carolina League. The righty was selected from Xavier University in the 13th roudn of the 2023 draft and in a starting and piggy back roll this year, he has proven to be a critical piece of the Fireflies pitching staff.
SPOILING QUALITY STARTS: Friday, Felix Arronde worked six shutout frames before handing the ball to the bullpen in what turned out to be a 1-0 loss in 10 innings. Columbia has had some trouble winning ballgames when their starter spins a quality start. The club is 0-6 when their starter goes six innings or longer and allows three or fewer runs this year.
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 29, 2024
- Mudcats Storm Back to Stun Shorebirds - Carolina Mudcats
- Early Deficit Stings Fayetteville in Loss to GreenJackets - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Mudcats Rally to Defeat Shorebirds for Second Straight Night - Delmarva Shorebirds
- GreenJackets Use Strong Pitching and Consistent Offense in Team Win Over Woodpeckers - Augusta GreenJackets
- Wetzel Smacks Three Hits, Pelicans Win Second Game Over RiverDogs 3-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Hernandez's Eighth Inning Base Hit Pushes Kannapolis Over Columbia Wednesday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Nats Rally To Topple Down East In 10 Innings - Fredericksburg Nationals
- RiverDogs Held to Three Hits in 3-1 Loss to Pelicans - Charleston RiverDogs
- Late Rally Falls Short in Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Hillcats Down Salem, 5-1 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.29 at Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Wood Ducks Take Opener against Nationals - Down East Wood Ducks
- Myrtle Beach Wins Series-Opener Over Charleston 7-4 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Season-High 14 Runs Lifts Woodpeckers Over Greenjackets - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
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