Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 9.8 at Myrtle Beach
September 8, 2023 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at 7:05 pm tonight at Pelicans Ballpark. RHP Felix Arronde (0-0, 0.00 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Marino Santy (3-2, 3.25 ERA).
For more information on the Fireflies and other events at Segra Park, such as our Chris Jansen concert in October or Fireflies Holiday Lights in November and December, visit ColumbiaFireflies.com.
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HERNANDEZ QUALITY START LEADS TO 4-1 WIN: The bullpen followed Ben Hernandez's third quality start of the season with three scoreless innings as the Fireflies beat Myrtle Beach 4-1 Thursday night at Pelicans Ballpark.The Fireflies climbed ahead in the top of the fourth. Trevor Werner started the inning by legging out an infield single. Then with two outs, Lizandro Rodriguez scored the third baseman from second with a single through the middle. After back-to-back walks, Luis Rujano threw a wild pitch that plated Rodriguez, giving Columbia a 3-1 lead. Ben Hernandez (W, 2-3) turned in one of his best starts of his career. He spun his third quality start of the season, working six innings, allowing five hits and just one run before he turned the ball over for the bullpen. He left the game in line for his second win of the season, his fourth of his three-year career.
WERNER LOCKS DOWN SECOND-CONSECUTIVE WEEKLY HONOR: The Columbia Fireflies, in conjunction with the Carolina League and Major League Baseball, have announced that Trevor Werner has been named the Carolina League Player of the Week for the week of August 28-September 3. Werner is the first Fireflies player to win the award in back-to-back weeks and continues to attack Carolina League pitching better than just about any hitter in the league. This week, the Texas A&M product hit .429 (9-21) with three doubles, two homers and six RBI. His biggest homer came to tie game two of Columbia's doubleheader Saturday, which led to a walk-off winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. In 25 games this season in Columbia, Werner is slashing .341/.450/.692 and has an impeccable 1.142 OPS. The Royals' seventh round pick has seven homers and 27 RBI in his stint in the Carolina League.
CAREER MILESTONES FOR RAYO: Last night, Oscar Rayo notched another quality start. The lefty is 21 years old and already in his third season in professional ball. Across those three seasons, the southpaw has now thrown 125 innings. In 131 frames he is 7-3 with a 3.02 ERA. He has held opponents to a respectable .241 average while keeping his walk rate low to earn an elite 1.11 WHIP. If that weren't enough, he also has 138 punchouts or 9.48 per nine innings pitched.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: The Fireflies are playing their final series of the year with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. With four games remaining, the club has a 65-63 record, and is one win away from clinching their first .500 record in franchise history. Prior to this season, the team's best record was in 2017, when they finished 68-70.
MASHING SQUIRES: Friday, Brett Squires capped off a fantastic month of August. The lefty leads the team in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.266), home runs (14), RBI (67) and on-base percentage (.384). While he's had a top-10 on-base percentage all season, his August certainly helped his stock. In 25 games, the lefty mashed seven homers and drove in 23 RBI while slashing .337/.396/,630.
NIFTY NOVAS: Fireflies reliever Elvis Novas has saved his best stuff for last. The righty stranded three inherited runners in 2.1 scoreless innings against the Pelicans last night to lower his ERA to 2.89 with the Fireflies. His lowest season ERA was 3.91 in the DSL in 2021, but he's playing his best baseball in the Carolina League.
Carolina League Stories from September 8, 2023
- Late Miscues Bury RiverDogs in 5-4 Loss to Fayetteville - Charleston RiverDogs
- Werner's Career Night Propels Fireflies to 11-7 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Hillcats Edged by Cannon Ballers, 1-0 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Back-To-Back Jacks Help 'Jackets to Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Whiting Placed on IL; Pena Activated from Development List - Carolina Mudcats
- Woodies Make it Two in a Row - Down East Wood Ducks
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 9.8 at Myrtle Beach - Columbia Fireflies
- Mudcats Win Second Half Title with 5-1 Victory in Salem - Carolina Mudcats
- Ferreras Hits Go-Ahead Grand Slam in Eighth to Give Woodpeckers Thrilling Win - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
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