Columbia Fireflies Game Notes August 17 vs Kannapolis
August 17, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. LHP Frank Mozzicato (1-6, 5.06 ERA) takes the slab for the Fireflies and the Cannon Ballers counter with righty Kohl Simas (2-1, 3.10 ERA).
Tonight is a Whiteclaw Wednesday. Fans can purchase 16 oz Whiteclaw Seltzers for $5 at concessions stands. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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LATE OFFENSE KEY FOR COLUMBIA IN WIN: The Fireflies rallied, gaining their first lead in the seventh inning, as they toppled over Kannapolis 6-4 at Segra Park Tuesday night. Omar Hernandez came up with Javier Vaz and Jean Ramirez in scoring position in the seventh inning and only a single out. With two strikes on Columbia's (23-19) backstop, the righty slashed a ground-rule double into the Fireflies bullpen to put Columbia in front 6-4. It was the two new draftees who tied the game for Columbia. In the sixth inning, Gavin Cross slapped a double to left field and then Cayden Wallace pulled a triple to left-center field to tie the game 4-4. The battle back for Columbia started in the second frame. Javier Vaz poked a two-run single through the middle to cut Kannapolis's (22-21) lead to 3-2. The Fireflies tied the game in the fourth when Guillermo Quintana got caught in a run down, allowing Cross to score and tie the game. Vaz was a major contributor early when the Fireflies bats left the bases loaded three-consecutive innings. He finished the night 1-1 with three walks, a stolen base and two RBI.
WON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT: The Fireflies didn't score runs in every inning last night, but for the first seven innings, Columbia scratched at least one base-runner aboard. The Fireflies left the bases loaded in each of the first three innings and didn't go down in order until the bottom of the eighth when Cayden Wallace popped out, Guillermo Quintana struck out and Lizandro Rodriguez flew out.
SECOND-HALF FIREFLIES?: After trudging to the finish line of the first-half of the season with a Carolina League-worst 18-48 record, the Fireflies burst onto the scene in the second-half, sweeping Augusta after taking two of the first three games with the RiverDogs to begin the second slate 8-1. Since then, the Fireflies have a 15-18 record (.455) and are three games back of first place.
ONE-RUN FUN: The Fireflies have won four-consecutive games against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and all four games have been decided by a single run. In fact, only one of the six games last series have been decided by more than one run, a 7-4 loss to the Pelicans Wednesday. On the season, the Fireflies have a 20-15 record in one-run contests.
BOLSTERED BULLPEN: Matt Stil, Cooper McKeehan and Oscar Rayo combined to twirl 4.1 one-hit innings in Tuedsay's opener with Kannapolis, keeping the Fireflies impressive bullpen stretch alive. Since Thursday, the bullpen has allowed two runs in 22.2 innings of work (0.82 ERA). Stil has now pitched twice on the run for Columbia, earning two wins across four innings of scoreless relief work.
FRESH BATS MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Cayden Wallace and Gavin Cross joined the Fireflies while they were on the road in Myrtle Beach, and the two helped Columbia win a few games and ultimately their second series of the 2022 campaign. The outfielder and third baseman combined to go 9-28 (.321 average) with eight RBI on the series. The Fireflies scored 21 runs across the week and the other bats combined to go 37-166 at the dish (.222).
IT REMINDS ME OF THE HUNT: Columbia is in second place in the South Division second-half standings, three games back of the Charleston RiverDogs with 23 games remaining in the season. This week, the RiverDogs are playing six more games against the Augusta GreenJackets, who have won 10 of their last 13 games.
Carolina League Stories from August 17, 2022
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- Pitching and Power Guide RiverDogs Past GreenJackets 5-1 - Charleston RiverDogs
- RiverDogs Handle GreenJackets to Win Game Two - Augusta GreenJackets
- Hillcats Suffer 3-1 Loss - Lynchburg Hillcats
- INF Alberis Ferrer Reinstated from Injured List - Carolina Mudcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes August 17 vs Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Woodies Fall in Opener Versus Myrtle Beach - Down East Wood Ducks
- Delmarva Turn Lights out on Salem Comeback - Salem Red Sox
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