Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Myrtle Beach
June 2, 2021 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Pelicans tonight at 7:05 pm at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. RHP Adrian Alcantara (1-2, 4.91 ERA) gets the ball for Columbia and Myrtle Beach elects to throw LHP DJ Herz (0-0, 0.75 ERA).
After two weeks on the road, the Fireflies will return home Tuesday, June 15 to start a six-game set with the Augusta GreenJackets. At that point, Columbia will play 12 games in 13 days at Segra Park that will include two fireworks shows, two t-shirt giveaways and much more. For tickets visit FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES GROUP TOGETHER LATE TO WIN IN 11TH: Maikel Garcia came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 11th and cashed in to push the Columbia Fireflies to win 5-3 at TicketReturn.com at Pelicans Ballpark Tuesday night. Rylan Kaufman had his best start of the season, working four one-hit innings with half a dozen strikeouts to allow the offense to get in front. Emilio Marquez (W, 2-0) bookended the evening with three scoreless innings himself while punching out four hitters. In the eighth, reliever Chase Wallace (BS, 1) allowed four hits, capping off the run with a Jordan Nwogu single that scored Flemin Bautista to tie the game 3-3. The Fireflies offense started quickly again, a trend that started in the latter half of the series against Augusta. In the top of the second inning, Herard Gonzalez drove a base knock to right to plate Juan Carlos Negret. Two batters later, Maikel Garcia added his own base hit to bring home Felix Familia and increase Columbia's lead to 2-0. In the fourth, Darryl Collins drilled his second homerun of the season to right field to put the Fireflies in front 3-0.
TWO FOR THE SHOW: Maikel Garcia already has the Fireflies longest hitting streak of the season, an eight-game stretch from May 11-21, where the infielder went 12-33 with seven RBI. He's climbing the Fireflies' season leaderboards again. Garcia is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak, which is tied for second-most this season with Darryl Collins and Diego Hernandez. The shortstop is hitting .483 with seven RBI since May 22 and has collected hits in 15 of his last 16 games.
MILESTONE WATCH: The Columbia Fireflies pitching staff paces the Low-A East with 311 strikeouts this season. The Charleston RiverDogs have the second most punchouts in the league this season with 290. Columbia's mark is actually good for the fourth-most of any team in Minor League Baseball. The Modesto Nuts have recorded the most of any of the 120 teams, with 339 this season.
MAGIC NUMBER: The offense has come in spurts for the Columbia Fireflies in 2021, but the magic number for the team is four. When the Fireflies score four runs in a game, they are 16-2 this season. When Columbia scores three or less in a game, they are 0-7.
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE APART OF A TURNAROUND: After giving up a run in two innings of relief work at Augusta May 8, it looked like righty Nathan Webb would have another season similar to his previous four years in Minor League Baseball. The Missouri-native has a 5.86 career ERA. Since then, the righty has spun nine scoreless innings and has fanned 17 batters while allowing only three hit. His opposing batting average has dropped from .231 to .150 and his season WHIP is now an incredible 0.92.
PARITY OF DIVISION: Just .200 separates the first place Columbia Fireflies and Charleston RiverDogs and the last place Augusta GreenJackets winning percentage this season. Through the first 25 contests, that represents five games. While that may seem like a lot, in the North division, Fredericksburg trails leader Delmarva by 13.5 games and in the Central Division, Kannapolis trails first-place Carolina by 13 games. The Fireflies are 5-1 when they play games outside of the division this season and 11-8 in the South Division.
Carolina League Stories from June 2, 2021
- Jackets Win Third Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Homer-Happy Shorebirds Top FredNats 9-1 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- RiverDogs Rally Comes up Short in 7-4 Loss at Augusta - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Birds Stymie FredNats for Fourth Straight Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Early Offense, Stellar Pitching Key in Fireflies 6-2 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Cuevas Activated from IL, Chu Transferred to FredNats - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Wood Ducks and Mudcats Postponed - Down East Wood Ducks
- Mudcats and Wood Ducks Postponed in Zebulon - Carolina Mudcats
- Cam Robinson Transferred Back to Carolina - Carolina Mudcats
- Doxakis Named Low-A East Pitcher of the Month - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gunnar Henderson Named Low-A East League Player of the Month - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Down East Wood Ducks Game Notes - 06/02 at Carolina - Down East Wood Ducks
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Myrtle Beach - Columbia Fireflies
- Pelicans Fall in Extra Innings to Fireflies - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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