Columbia Fireflies Game Notes July 30 at Kannapolis
July 30, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off their weekend tonight with a 7 pm contest with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Atrium Health Ballpark. RHP Ben Kudrna (1-4, 3.12 ERA) runs up the hill for the Fireflies, while Kannapolis counters with righty Norge Vera (0-2, 2.14 ERA).
Columbia returns home to Segra Park August 2-7 to play the Charleston RiverDogs. You'll want to get to the game early August 5, as the Fireflies are giving out a lunchbox to the first 1,000 fans through the gates on Back to School Night, presented by Webster University. We'll also be hosting Nickelodeon PAW Patrol Night presented by SC DSS August 6 that'll include appearances from Chase and Marshall! Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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EARLY OFFENSE PAVES WAY FOR MOZZICATO WIN: Frank Mozzicato earned his first professional win behind a booming offense in Columbia's 7-6 victory over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Friday night at Atrium Health Ballpark. Fireflies (16-11) starter Frank Mozzicato (W, 1-4) earned his first professional win, spinning five innings while allowing only one hit. The southpaw also wrung up a career-high seven hitters in the contest. The Columbia bats etched a lead in the score column early, beginning with a Jaswel De Los Santos base knock up the middle that plated Omar Hernandez. Next, a double steal and throwing error allowed Omar Florentino to push the Fireflies in front 2-1 in the top of the second. A Jean Ramirez single scoring De Los Santos gave the Fireflies a run of insurance prior to a wild pitch putting the Fireflies up 4-1 before the end of the second. The bats stayed hot in the third as Hernandez laced a double to left to score Guillermo Quintana. Next, Florentino singled to bring in Hernandez and put the Fireflies in front 6-1. Finally, Daniel Vazquez looped a sacrifice fly to right to close out the scoring, plating Florentino.
POSITIVE STRIDES IN THE PEN: Righties Shane Connolly and Luis Barroso have found their grooves in the month of July in the bullpen. The two have combined to allow just one earned run in 14.2 innings across the month. Connolly's ERA has dipped from 9.67 after his outing vs Carolina June 18 to 7.34 following his 1.1 innings yesterday. For Barroso, he's seen his ERA drop from 7.54 after his loss to Charleston June 23 to 5.05 after a pair of scoreless frames yesterday.
STERLING STARTERS: After Frank Mozzicato spun five innings, allowing just one run in his first career win Friday vs Kannapolis, the starting pitching has a 5-5 record in the second half, to pair with a 3.77 ERA. That's compared to a 4-25 record with a 4.85 ERA in the first half.
HERNANDEZ HEATING UP: Backstop Omar Hernandez's bat has been heating up the last 12 games. During the run, which began July 4, Columbia's catcher has seen his batting average rise from .205 to .223 and he has had three of his five multi-hit games on the season. Hernandez has gone 1-4 with a pair of RBI in each of his last two games. He has eight of the 16 RBI he has hit on the season in his last 11 games (he has played 60 games this season).
RALLY FIREFLIES: Columbia is outscoring opponents in only one inning this season, but it's an important one: the ninth. In the final frame of regulation, Columbia is outscoring opponents 34-27 this season. That really helps in late and close situations, and after scoring three runs in the seventh and eighth last night, Columbia is 14-11 in 25 one-run games throughout the 2022 season.
UPCOMING STRETCH: The Fireflies are in the midst of an important part of their schedule. The top four teams in the South Division are separated by only 2.5 games. After Columbia wraps up their current series with the first place Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, they'll play Charleston at home for the first time this season before visiting the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and then playing Kannapolis at home. That's 21-consecutive games against the top four teams in the division to close out July and start August. The Fireflies are currently 1.5 back of Kannapolis, half-a-game in front of Myrtle Beach and one game ahead of Charleston. Columbia will also close out the season with a six-game set at Segra Park vs the Charleston RiverDogs.
Carolina League Stories from July 30, 2022
- Hillcats Lose Third Straight - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Augusta Ends Losing Skid with an Impressive Performance - Augusta GreenJackets
- Fireflies Back in First Following 3-2 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Piper's Walk-Off Double Caps Shocking Comeback in Extra-Inning Victory - Charleston RiverDogs
- Myrtle Beach Drops Saturday Night Contest to Augusta 6-4 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Rutledge Dominates, FredNats Win Third Straight Over Salem - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Woodpeckers Pull off Eighth-Inning Comeback, Win Third Straight against Mudcats - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- 'Birds Rally Twice to Swipe 5-4 Win from Hillcats - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Delmarva Shorebirds Game Notes, - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Hearn Homers, Pelicans Defeat GreenJackets 5-2 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes July 30 at Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Late Comeback Effort Comes up Just Short as Ballers Fall to Fireflies 7-6 Friday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Late Error Proves Costly in 2-1 Loss in Fayetteville - Carolina Mudcats
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