Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Augusta 8.30
August 30, 2024 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off their weekend with a 7:05 pm start against the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park tonight. RHP Hiro Wyatt (2-1, 2.12 ERA) takes the ball for the Fireflies and Augusta challenges with LHP Carter Holton (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
The Fireflies return home for their final homestand of the regular season September 3-8. They'll close out the year with three firework shows, Harry Potter Night presented by Lowe's Foods with a Hogwarts House Scarf giveaway and USC Night presented by E.F. Martin with a rally towel giveaway. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.
------
THROWING MISCUES LEADS TO 2-1 LOSS: The Fireflies pitching staff continued to roll Thursday against the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park, but a few throwing errors allowed the GreenJackets to score two in the fifth, as Columbia fell 2-1 in the fourth game of the series. Both starting pitchers got out to strong starts again Thursday night. Augusta's Herick Hernandez set down all 11 batters he faced, seven via the strikeout before moving to the bullpen in his debut. Kade Morton worked 1.1 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season before Rayven Antonio spun through four, one-run innings to get his first save of the campaign.
BULLPEN MANIA: The Fireflies bullpen has been the highlight of the team all season. After spinning four innings without allowing an earned run last night, Columbia's bullpen leads Minor League Baseball with a 2.98 ERA over 517.0 innings in 2024. The club's bullpen record is 44-20 with 33 saves on the season. The pen has also punched out 553 opponents this season while holding opposing teams to a .222 average. The second-place team is the Midland Rockhounds who are 33-26 with a 2.99 ERA over 487.0 innings of work this season. The club has struck out 488 batters while holding opponents to a .215 average.
THIS IS 60: Tuesday, Austin Charles drove in two RBI thanks to a late homer to give him 60 RBI on the campaign. In 2023 only one Fireflies hitter finished the season with 55 or more RBI: Brett Squires, who had 69 RBI. The Fireflies single-season RBI record belongs to Juan Carlos Negret, who drove in 76 runs in a shortened 2021 season thanks in part to a franchise record 23 homers in a single season.
THE RACE INTENSIFIES: Thursday, Columbia lost 2-1 to Augusta and the RiverDogs beat Fayetteville to gain a game in the standings. Columbia currently sits 4.5 games behind Charleston and 2.5 games in front of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in second in the division. As Kannapolis continues their second-half slide after their first-half division crown, the Fireflies have the best record in the South Division for the entire season. Columbia is tied with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers for the best record in the South Division with 10 games remaining in the season.
AWESOME ARRONDE: Wednesday, Felix Arronde struck out one over a handful of innings as he got a no-decision at Augusta. The righty leads the Fireflies with 98 punchouts on the season. His 98 strikeouts are tied for the most in a single-season for the Fireflies since 2020. Both Adrian Alcantara (2021) and Shane Panzini (2023) also have 98 strikeouts for the most in a single year since the schedule was shortened to 132 games.
MITCHELL'S MISSILES: Tuesday, Blake Mitchell blasted his Carolina League leading 18th homer of the season. Mitchell is the first Fireflies player to lead the league in homers since Juan Carlos Negret slapped 23 homers in a pandemic-shortened 2021 season. Mitchell is just one round-tripper shy of Ariel Almonte, who plays for the Daytona Tortugas, for the most round trippers in Single-A in 2024.
PILE 'EM UP: TCU product Zachary Cawyer has been on a roll with the Fireflies in 2024. He is 3-0 in six appearances spanning eight innings since being added to the roster August 5. Cawyer hasn't allowed a run since August 5.
Carolina League Stories from August 30, 2024
- Pelicans Storm Back from Two Deficits, Beat Wood Ducks 7-6 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Shorebirds Rally to Walk-off Red Sox in 11th Inning - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs Take Big Step Toward Postseason with 4-3 Win on Friday - Charleston RiverDogs
- Rally in Late Innings Aids Kannapolis in Third Win of Week Over Nationals - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Mudcats Ride Big Inning To Win Over Lynchburg - Carolina Mudcats
- Ballers Steal a Win from FXBG - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Mudcats Win Over Hillcats, 9-5 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Owen's Late Blast Powers Jackets Past Fireflies - Augusta GreenJackets
- Rare Lapse from Bullpen Costs Fireflies in 5-4 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Augusta 8.30 - Columbia Fireflies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
