Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.28 at Kannapolis
June 28, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at Atrium Health Ballpark at 7 pm. RHP Emmanuel Reyes (4-2, 3.95 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with LHP Chris Vail (3-1, 1.53 ERA).
The Fireflies return home for a three-game series to celebrate our Nation's Independence Day to kick-off July. Join us for Military Appreciation Night July 2, our Independence Day Celebration July 3 and Fireworks with the Philharmonic presented by Prisma Health July 4. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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MCNAIR'S LATE BLAST LEADS FIREFLIES TO VICTORY: The Fireflies worked behind a strong day on the mound and a late Brennon McNair homer to win 4-1 over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Thursday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. The Fireflies jumped out first again Thursday. In the top of the first inning, Blake Mitchell drew a walk and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Later, Austin Charles slapped a two out single to left to plate Mitchell to break the scoreless tie. Next, Jhonny Perdomo doubled down the right field line to make it a 2-0 advantage for Columbia. Mitchell's walk advanced his hitting streak to a career-best 19-consecutive games and Charles' single was his seventh hit of the week. He had a season-best four hits Tuesday and two hits Wednesday. Brennon McNair gave the Fireflies some insurance late. The left fielder muscled his fifth homer of the season in the seventh to plate Dionmy Salon and give Columbia a 4-1 lead.
GOING STREAKING: Catcher Dionmy Salon is riding a hot streak for Columbia. He is on his longest hitting streak of the season, an eight-game stretch that began June 9 and is tied for the third-longest active hitting streak in the Carolina League. Salon is 9-23 (.391) on the run and has three RBI. Another Fireflies player who's been an on-base machine in June has been Blake Mitchell. Mitchell kicked-off a 19-game on-base streak June 1. It's the fourth-longest on-base streak in the Carolina League, trailing Carolina's Cooper Pratt (31 games), Augusta's Will Verdung (22 games) and Charleston's Carlos Colmenarez (20 games). Over Mitchell's 19 games, he's hitting .242, but has drawn 20 walks to increase his on-base percentage to .435 in June.
QUALITY FELIX: Sunday, Felix Arronde worked his team-leading fourth quality start of the season. He's one ahead of Ethan Bosacker for the most on the Fireflies. So far this season, Arronde has a 4-5 record to pair with a 3.71 ERA. He's been able to persevere despite receiving the lowest run support of any regular Fireflies starter this year. The bats are scoring 2.39 runs per nine innings when Arronde is on the hill in 2024.
ROCKING WITH REYES: After a difficult April, where Emmanuel Reyes recorded a 6.04 ERA in 25.1 innings across five starts, the righty has shut down his opponents. Emmanuel Reyes hasn't been scoreless, but he has been an innings eater in June, working 15 frames to the tune of a 2-0 record and a 1.80 ERA. Both Reyes and Martin have been fantastic since the Calendar turned to May. Reyes has spun 36 innings to the tune of a 2.25 ERA and not to be outdone, the former Kentucky Wildcat, Logan Martin has a zany 1.69 ERA across his last 32 innings.
KICKING WITH KIRKLAND: In Doug Kirkland's last seven outings, he has allowed just one earned run spanning 12.1 innings of work (0.73 ERA). In that time, he has 16 punchouts and his opponents are hitting .114 against him. In his first full professional season, Kirkland is 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA. He has an outlandish 36 strikeouts in 25.2 innings and opponents are hitting just .179 against him this season.
POWERING PENA: Erick Pena is clobbering the ball in June. He leads the Carolina League in OPS (1.015) and TB (46), is second in RBI (18), HR (4) and 10th in batting average (.397) over the month.
LEAVE THEM STRANDED: The Cannon Ballers are 0 for their last 15 with runners in scoring position this week.
Carolina League Stories from June 28, 2024
- Fourteen Walks Push Myrtle Beach To 9-7 Win Over Fayetteville - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Wolkow Adds a Pair of Home Runs in Kannapolis' Fourth Loss of Week - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Woodpeckers' Late Surge Not Enough in Loss to Pelicans - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Mudcats Rally Past Lynchburg - Carolina Mudcats
- Late Surge Makes Fxbg Victorious In Salem - Fredericksburg Nationals
- GreenJackets Dismantled by RiverDogs in 8-3 Loss - Augusta GreenJackets
- RiverDogs Roll at the Plate in Third Straight Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Win Fifth-Straight Friday - Columbia Fireflies
- Delmarva Blanked by Down East on Friday Night - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Ian Anderson to Continue Rehab at SRP Park on June 30th - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.28 at Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Nominate Heroes of the Inning for First Responders Night - Columbia Fireflies
- Neon Apple Awards Return in 2024 - Columbia Fireflies
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