Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 8.12 vs Charleston
August 12, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off their weekend with a 6:05 pm tilt with the Charleston RiverDogs tonight at Segra Park. LHP Oscar Rayo (3-1, 2.20 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and RHP Trevor Martin (7-5, 3.57 ERA) takes the hill for Charleston.
Tonight is Nickelodeon's Paw Patrol Night at Segra Park, presented by South Carolina Department of Social Services. Join us as Skye and Rubble with host a meet and greet and the Fireflies will try to save the day vs the RiverDogs! Stick around afterwards for a dazzling fireworks display. Limited tickets remain at FirefliesTickets.com.
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COLUMBIA LOSES PITCHER'S DUEL 2-1: Emmanuel Reyes worked his first quality start in a losing effort, as Columbia fell 2-1 to the Charleston RiverDogs Friday night at Segra Park. Pitching was the name of the game for the Fireflies. Emmanuel Reyes (L, 0-3) spun a career-high six frames, allowing a pair of runs in the first quality start of his career. The 19-year-old only allowed five baserunners before he handed the ball to the bullpen. Chazz Martinez was the first reliever out of the bullpen. Martinez went two hitless innings to keep the Fireflies within one and then Ben Sears closed the game out with a 1-2-3 ninth frame.
BREAK OUT THE RAY-O BREAD: Oscar Rayo continued his role through the pitching utility role Friday. Rayo spun a season-high 5.2 innings while punching out a career-best eight batters to allow the Fireflies to get through the game after a rough start. The southpaw has a 2.20 ERA this season in what has mostly been a long-relief role--although he has also worked a few spot starts too. Sunday was his first save opportunity of the season, and he didn't disappoint, setting down Kannapolis 1-2-3 with a punchout.
LAUNCHING LIZANDRO: The Fireflies' second baseman has been on fire in this series against Charleston, channeling multiple hits in each of the first four games of the series. Rodriguez is 9-14 (.667) with two doubles, two stolen bases and three runs scored this week. He has tallied a .667 on-base percentage and a 1.453 OPS in one of the top weeks a Fireflies hitter has worked on this season.
HURLING HERNANDEZ: Ben Hernandez is on a roll, the 2020 second round pick has now tossed back-to-back quality starts and against Charleston, picked up his first win of the season. The righty has allowed three runs across his last 12 innings (2.25 ERA) and the Fireflies are 3-1 in games he has started since he was activated after the All-Star Break.
MOVING ON UP: Ben Sears now has three saves in his last six appearances, giving him nine saves on the season. That ties him with 2021 Columbia Fireflies reliever Luis Barroso for sixth all-time amongst Columbia Fireflies players. He's two away from tying current Quad Cities River Bandits reliever Cooper McKeehan for second on the Fireflies all-time leaderboard.
SECURING SQUIRES: Brett Squires is riding his second-longest on-base streak of the season, an 11-game stretch that dates back to July 30. Over the run he has hits in all-except one game he has played in and is 13-39 (.333). He has also walked a pair of times and roped two doubles and one homer on the month. All-in-all, Squires is slashing .333/.366/.462 over the nearly two-week run. The on-base streak in the University of Oklahoma product's second-longest on-base streak of the season. Squires reached safely in 22-consecutive games from April 20-May 14. On that hot stretch, Squires slashed .444/.433/.877 as he led the league in multiple categories, including on-base percentage and doubles through the run.
REYES ROLLS: Columbia's 19-year-old pitcher earned the first quality start of his career in a loss to the Charleston RiverDogs Friday. The righty spun six frames, allowing five hits and two runs in a 2-1 pitcher's duel. Emmanuel Reyes is now 0-3 in his first three starts in Columbia with 16 punchouts in 15 innings and a 4.80 ERA.
Carolina League Stories from August 12, 2023
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- Adams Hits Walk-off Homer in 6-3 Carolina Victory - Carolina Mudcats
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- Six-Run Inning Guides RiverDogs to Third Straight Victory in Columbia - Charleston RiverDogs
- GreenJackets Walk Their Way to Victory, Find Late Offense Saturday - Augusta GreenJackets
- Squires Blasts Two Homers in 9-5 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- Mudcats Walk-off Shorebirds in Ninth Inning - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 8.12 vs Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
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