Columbia Fireflies Game Notes August 28 vs Salem
August 28, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies wrap-up their series with the Salem Red Sox at Segra Park this evening at 5:05 pm. RHP Luinder Avila (5-9, 4.72 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Salem sends out RHP Juan Daniel Encarnacion (10-4, 4.31 ERA).
Today is a Sunday Funday at Segra Park. There will be a Fireflies players autograph session prior to the game from 4:05-4:20 and after the game, kids can run the bases. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FOURTH-CONSECUTIVE WALK-OFF NOT IN THE CARDS: The Fireflies used some late inning magic to tie the game in the ninth, but couldn't come away with the win, falling 5-4 to Salem in 10 innings Saturday night in front of their second sell-out crowd in the month of August. The winning-run scored in the top of the 10th inning. With two outs, Luis Barroso (L, 4-7) threw a wild pitch, advancing placed runner Eddison Paulino from second to third base. On the next pitch, Yorberto Mejicano bounced a ball up the middle to put Salem (25-27) in front 5-4. Columbia (29-23) tied the game in the home half of the ninth. Lizandro Rodriguez drew a one-out walk and David Hollie singled to set things up for the top-half of the line-up. With two outs, Omar Hernandez singled to score Rodriguez and tie the game 4-4. Brainer Bonaci was the difference maker in Saturday's game, he launched a pair of round-trippers, in the fifth and seventh, driving in three runs to give Salem their first lead of the game.
RODRIGUEZ IS ROLLING: After going hitless in his first two games in Columbia, infielder Lizandro Rodriguez has been on a tear, hitting in 11 consecutive games. During the run, Rodriguez is 15-38 (.394) at the plate with three doubles, a triple, a homer and five RBI. The 11-game stretch is the longest hitting streak for the Fireflies since Edgardo Fermin hit safely in 13-straight games ending July 1, 2018. It is tied for the third-longest hitting streak in Fireflies history. The longest hitting streak for Columbia belongs to Rapheal Gladu, who had a 23-game streak in 2018.
JUMP-STARTING JENSEN: Carter Jensen has reached base safely in 16-consecutive games, which is the third-longest on-base streak for Columbia this season and the fourth-longest active on-base streak in the Carolina League. Eddison Paulino paces the pack as he has reached safely in 29-consecutive games.
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 21-22 record (.488) and are 4.5 games back of first place. Columbia's elimination number is 12 with 14 games remaining. Columbia has now won three series this season, and all three series (at Augusta June 28-July 3, at Myrtle Beach August 9-14 and vs Kannapolis August 16-21) have come in the second half.
SWING AND A MISS: Lefty Marlin Willis fanned four hitters in the eighth inning last Thursday. It was the first time a pitcher has struckout four batters in one inning while wearing a Fireflies uniform. Willis has been on a tear in the second half of the season, punching out 26 hitters in 14.1 innings to spin a 1.88 ERA in 10 games.
100 CLUB: Sunday, Luinder Avila became the first pitcher since 2019 to spin 100 innings in a single campaign. Last season, Adrian Alcantara was the closest, as he worked 97.1 innings. In 2019, Willy Taveras, Christian James and Jose Butto all spun at least 100 innings for the Fireflies.
SOUTHPAW SIZZLES: After spinning his first quality start Wednesday night vs Salem, Frank Mozzicato has put together an impressive last three outings, spinning 15 innings while allowing only two earned runs (1.20 ERA). During the stretch, the Connecticut native has punched out 20 batters (12 K/9 IP).
Carolina League Stories from August 28, 2022
- Birds Hang on for Series Finale Victory over GreenJackets - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Pelicans Survive Final Inning to Take Series Finale - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Blanks Red Sox in Finale - Columbia Fireflies
- 'Birds Unable to Withstand Late Surge from Hillcats, Fall 6-4 - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Tommy Sacco's Walk-Off Home Run Wins Woodpeckers Series Finale over RiverDogs - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Sacco's Big Swing Walks off RiverDogs in Final Game of Road Trip - Charleston RiverDogs
- Wood Ducks shut out FredNats in series finale - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Mudcats Leave Kannapolis with Series Splitting 5-2 Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes August 28 vs Salem - Columbia Fireflies
- Jacob Misiorowski Assigned to Carolina; Michele Vassalotti Placed on IL - Carolina Mudcats
- Early Offense from Hot Bats Spark Ballers 11-4 Win over Carolina on Starry Night - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
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