Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.11 vs Salem
June 11, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their series with the Salem Red Sox tonight at Segra Park at 5:05 pm. RHP Mauricio Veliz (0-2, 4.44 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Salem counters with RHP Jedixson Paez (0-3, 5.70 ERA).
Today is Mason the Mascot's birthday on Sunday Funday. Come out to Segra Park and celebrate with all of Mason's mascot friends! We'll have an autograph session prior to the game and after the game, kids can run the bases courtesy of Bang Back Pinball Lounge. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES BATS SILENCED IN 3-0 LOSS: The Fireflies bats couldn't make-up the ground after the Salem Red Sox scored three runs in the first and Columbia fell 3-0 at Segra Park Saturday night. The Red Sox burst out of the gates in the first inning, scoring three runs off starter Samuel Valerio (L, 1-3). The first three hitters reached on Valerio before a sacrifice fly and a Juan Chacon RBI knock put Salem in front 3-0. Valerio worked a clean second inning before he handed the ball to Oscar Rayo, who spun three scoreless innings to keep the score close for Columbia. Next up in the bullpen day was Eduardo Herrera. The righty spun a pair of innings without allowing before Nicholas Regalado made his Fireflies debut, striking out four of the six batters he faced.
ZANY ZOBAC: The Fireflies righty is on another strong stretch as he has allowed only one earned run in his last three outings, spanning 12.2 innings. Zobac set a career-high, spinning 4.2 innings Tuesday in a 7-1 win over the Salem Red Sox to set the tone for the last full homestand of the first half for Columbia. Zobac now has a 1.82 ERA across his first nine outings and he has punched out 36 hitters in 29.2 innings.
PINNACLE PITCHERS: The Fireflies arms have been hot this year. After working their sixth shutout of the season last night, the Fireflies pitching staff has a 3.08 ERA, which is the second-best team ERA in all of Minor League Baseball, trailing just the Down East Wood Ducks, who have a 3.05 ERA.
SUPER SANDLIN: David Sandlin has been on a roll his last few outings. He has worked back-to-back quality starts and has allowed three runs in his last 13 innings (2.08 ERA). During that stretch, Sandlin also has 19 punchouts, which has allowed him to climb back to the top of the League's strikeout leaderboard. The Fireflies are also 8-3 in his 11 starts this season.
STUCK IN THE TRENCHES: The last two nights, the Fireflies have had plenty of opportunities at the plate, but they've been held to one run in each game. A big reason why is the team is 0-14 with runners in scoring position. If that weren't bad enough, the Fireflies didn't have a runner advance past second in yesterday's game, so the team has not had a hit with a runner in scoring position since Wednesday. In the seventh inning with nobody out and Brett Squires at second, Roger Leyton hit a single up the middle for Columbia's last hit with a runner threatening. That was 29 innings ago.
WILY WALLACE: Last night, Chase Wallace gave up his first run of the season. Columbia's reliever has been on fire across his first five outings this year though, maintaining a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings while fanning six opposing hitters.
THE ROAD IS LONG: After Columbia's loss to the Salem Red Sox Wednesdsay, the team fell out of first place for the first time in 33 games--the longest stretch the Fireflies have been in possession of first place in franchise history. The last time the Fireflies weren't in first place was April 29.
THE SCOOP: Entering Sunday's slate of games, the Fireflies trail the Myrtle Beach Pelicans by two games. Next week, the Fireflies head to Fayetteville to play the 24-32 Woodpeckers and Myrtle Beach has a tilt at home vs Fredericksburg.
Carolina League Stories from June 11, 2023
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- Nats Wrap Up Series With Shutout Win - Fredericksburg Nationals
- RiverDogs Blanked by Fredericksburg in Series Finale - Charleston RiverDogs
- Five-Run Third Pushes Pelicans Past GreenJackets 7-5 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.11 vs Salem - Columbia Fireflies
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